What If You’ve Been Caught Drink-Drug Driving?

If you are indicted of drunk driving charges while you were on your duty, it is most likely that you’ll end up being terminated.

Being a cop is not an easy job. You are constantly under a lot of pressure and often subjected to incredible stress. This may sometimes lead you to situations you were not supposed to be in, and substance abuse problems are one of them. Just like any other civilian, the street cop accused of driving drunk and possibly causing some sort of damage to public or personal property is arrested and treated with certain penalties and punishments.

If you are caught in such a situation, you need to consult someone for legal advice. To get in-depth knowledge of the situation, here’s what Drug and Drinking Lawyers in Brisbane have to say.

How are the penalties charged on you?

As per the law, the punishment for a street cop accused of DUI can vary depending on his position, the circumstances and even the location of the incident. Few of the general factors resulting in deciding the penalties include:

• The intensity of the damages caused: It is often the most deciding factors when considering the cases of DUI. It is seen if other vehicles were involved or whether someone was injured. You may be penalized to a greater extent if the loss of life or damage to the other person is unrecoverable. 
• Your past records: If you have a clean record in your past, it would be easier for you to get away with fewer penalties. You are checked for any previous DUI cases, or driving recklessly and have been caught for the same. 
• Your position: If wouldn’t be wrong to say that your work position may affect the severity of charges pressed against you. The higher your post, the lesser your penalties may be. It isn’t always true as damages caused poses more weight in your case. 

DUI committed on Duty versus DUI committed Off-duty

If you are indicted of drunk driving charges while you were on your duty, it is most likely that you’ll end up being terminated. The disciplinary actions are very strict in such cases as you are found violating the basic guidelines of your employment terms. 

On the other hand, if you committed such a crime while you were off-duty, the consequences might be less harsh. Again, it is the matter of the severity of the incident as well as your earlier track record. Generally, it is observed that if only property damages are caused, you will not be debarred from your position, although you may be charged with appropriate disciplinary actions.

What can I do in my defense?

No matter what led you to the situation, the law is equally applicable. But in your defense, you can consult any Drug Driving Lawyer to help you understand the intricacies of the charges pressed against you as well as how you can testify and build a reasonable case for the same. This may not completely relieve you of the penalties but may be helpful to mitigate the same.

These were some common points to let you know about the intricacies of DUI charges against cops and keep you updated if it ever happens to you or your acquaintance.