FWPD Officer Arrested On Suspicion Of DWI
FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) - A Fort Worth police officer has been arrested for suspicion of Driving While Intoxicated in another North Texas city.
Keller police pulled over a car shortly after 1 a.m. Wednesday morning, along Highway 114 in Westlake.
Fort Worth police officer Nicolas Ramirez was driving the vehicle and was administered two Breathalyzer tests. They registered his blood alcohol level at 0.18 and 0.19, more than twice the legal limit. The 32 year old was arrested and charged with the Class A misdemeanor.
In a press release statement Fort Worth Police Chief Jeff Halstead said, "Our organization works hard to keep our streets safe during all holidays. It is extremely troubling that one of our police officers, especially a DWI enforcement officer, has been arrested in this manner. I apologize to Chief Mark Hafner and the citizens of Keller for the poor judgment of our employee. Our residents can be assured that this matter will be handled expeditiously and to their expectations."
The Ramirez arrest comes just days after Chief Halstead put out a written "challenge" to his officers to stay out of trouble in 2013.
Since 2008, more than a dozen other Fort Worth officers have also been arrested on a DWI charge.
Hoping a New Year could be a new beginning for the department, Halstead made what he called a "creative" challenge for his department.
In the Fort Worth Police Officer's Association quarterly magazine, called Signal 50, Halstead wrote, "I am going to buy myself a small "white board" and place it in a prominent place in the chief's office. I will update the board every day in 2013 with the focus statement of: "____ days since our last off duty arrest." My goal is that on December 31st, 2013 the number on this board is 365!!
An hour into the New Year, the goal failed. The best the police chief can now hope for is 364.
Ramirez, who was most recently assigned to the Traffic Division, has been with the Fort Worth Police Department for four years. The officer has been placed on Restricted Duty Status, had his gun and badge confiscated, and he is not authorized to act in any capacity as a peace officer pending the outcome of the ongoing investigation into the incident.
Ramirez was released from custody in Keller on $500 bond.
Also Check Out: