NY FOCUS: ‘No Arrests’: In New York, Some Police Can Drink, Drive and Avoid Charges
An investigation by New York Focus and The New York Times found that in New York State, police officers who drank and drove often avoided arrest and criminal charges — consequences ordinary citizens would likely face. Reporters reviewed more than 10,000 police disciplinary files and uncovered at least 17 cases where officers involved in crashes, collisions, or other alcohol-related incidents were spared basic sobriety testing or criminal investigations. Instead, cases were frequently treated as internal disciplinary matters, resulting in short suspensions rather than arrests. Some officers even admitted to heavy drinking before reporting for duty.
The findings raise questions about accountability and how departments shield their own, even when evidence of drunken driving is clear. While a few cases led to prosecution, most officers returned to work after brief suspensions.
Radio Catskill’s Jason Dole spoke with reporter Sammy Sussman about the investigation and what it reveals about policing and accountability in New York.
