Polices officers reminding people not to drink and drive, isn’t that what they are supposed to do?
Shannon Hills Police Officer fired over Facebook post
A Facebook post leads to a police officer losing his job. Scott Chaloner says he was fired because he warned people not to drink and drive, but the Chief of Shannon Hills Police calls it compromising a DUI checkpoint.
The Facebook post that’s causing all the commotion was posted on Saturday night. Scott Chaloner wrote, “If you live in Alexander and you’re drinking and driving, get yourself a designated driver. If you don’t and you’re out on the streets, you’ll wish you had. just a word to the wise.”
Blatant hypocrisy.
When police officials are questioned about DUI checkpoint statistics and why they produce less than 1% DUI arrests, they point to the deterrent factor. Police claim that one of the grand motives of DUI checkpoints is that they stop those who are impaired from getting behind the wheel in the first place. “After all,” says Mr. Goodcop, “our success lies in protecting the public, not in making a lot of arrests.”
So here we have an officer who tried to warn people and to warn them not to drive drunk. He reminded them to get a designated driver to protect themselves and the public, and for this, he gets fired for “undermining the checkpoint.”
Is it really about saving lives and deterring harm or is it about money and collecting fines?
Police officials and politicians: please stop playing three card monte with the public.
Justin McShane
PA DUI attorney Justin J. McShane is the President/CEO of The McShane Firm, LLC - Pennsylvania's top criminal law and DUI law firm. He is the highest rated DUI attorney in PA as rated by Avvo.com. Justin McShane is a double Board certified attorney. He is the first and so far the only Pennsylvania attorney to achieve American Bar Association recognized board certification in DUI defense from the National College for DUI Defense, Inc. He is also a Board Certified Criminal Trial Advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy, a Pennsylvania Supreme Court Approved Agency.