by Scandal with New York Police Officers: Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol Without Consequences
According to an investigation, at least 17 police officers in New York State have avoided criminal penalties for suspicion of driving a vehicle while intoxicated since 2013. Some of them admitted to consuming significant amounts of alcohol before accidents but received only disciplinary actions, such as temporary unpaid suspension or reprimands.
Joint Investigation and Its Results
The information became known thanks to a joint investigation by the New York Times and the non-governmental news organization New York Focus. Journalists gained access to over 10,000 previously classified disciplinary files and discovered numerous cases where police officers remained without serious accountability, despite clear signs of violations.
Examples of Incidents Involving Leniency
The archives mention collisions with fences, hitting parked cars, and accidents involving official vehicles. Individual officers showed up to work intoxicated, including at scenes of fires or crimes. However, alcohol tests were rarely conducted, and only one police officer pleaded guilty to a traffic violation.
NEW: Across New York State, police officers have driven drunk. And sometimes, they avoided criminal punishment. pic.twitter.com/qysSUilJt5 — New York Focus (@nysfocus) September 9, 2025
A vivid example: State Police Detective Ronald W. Wilson was involved in an off-duty accident, and witnesses recorded him having slurred speech, an unsteady gait, and the smell of alcohol. However, no sobriety test was conducted, and he was simply driven home. Later, he admitted to consuming six cocktails and a shot but received only a 35-day unpaid suspension.
Continuation of the Practice of Impunity
Another sergeant, Ethan Mosher, was involved in a car accident and fled the scene but also avoided criminal charges, receiving only a disciplinary action. Three years later, he was even promoted to head of the department. Similar stories repeat: officers admit to consuming nine or more servings of alcohol, superiors get into accidents after events, and body cameras are “accidentally” turned off.
These files show how some departments have treated drunk driving as an H.R. issue, not a crime. pic.twitter.com/SotNqhfhZf — New York Focus (@nysfocus) September 9, 2025
Double Standards of Justice
This situation demonstrates the existence of different approaches to offenders among the police and ordinary citizens. While ordinary people risk going to jail, losing their licenses, or paying large fines for driving under the influence, police officers often remain outside the attention of criminal justice, even though they are obligated to uphold the law.
Some officers smelled of alcohol, according to their colleagues. Others admitted during confidential internal interviews to drinking and driving. They were often suspended from the job but not arrested. pic.twitter.com/s1MxkHulI5 — New York Focus (@nysfocus) September 9, 2025
Such cases can undermine public trust in law enforcement agencies, especially when it comes to inconsistencies in the application of the law. At the same time, the lack of a unified state system for overseeing police actions allows individual departments to protect their employees, which creates serious problems for overall justice and transparency.
