SAN ANGELO, TX — A San Angelo Police Department detective was arrested Friday, July 5, for suspicion of driving while intoxicated.
James Hernandez, 54, was booked into Tom Green County Jail just before 1 a.m. Friday. It is the second time Hernandez, a 17-year veteran of SAPD, has been arrested for DWI.
The traffic stop was conducted by the Texas Department of Public Safety. Hernandez was off duty at the time.
Police Chief Travis Griffith addressed the matter during a press conference at 10:30 a.m. Friday.
"There's no difference between a citizen and one of our personnel. Everyone is afforded due process under the law, and everyone is innocent until proven guilty in that process, " Griffth said.
"If the allegations are found to be true, there will be firm but fair discipline. The buck really does stop right here. ... We can no longer allow our officers to be out here getting arrested."
Hernandez has been placed on administrative leave, pending the outcome of the investigation.
"I ran (for police chief) on accountability and transparency, and that's what we're doing right here. It's not fun," Griffith said. "I know James. He's a good man. We all fall short of marks sometimes. If that bears out, we'll deal with it."
A second DWI is a Class A misdemeanor.
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Comments
When funky monkey was in office this would have never happened. Of course thats when the thin blue line was a mile wide.
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PermalinkAfter his first dwi he should have lost his right to be a police officer anywhere. What keeps him from drinking on the job??? Not a fucking thing. FIRE HIS ASS
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