The Aurora Police Department's promotion of a drunk-on-duty police officer to detective last month is a slap in the face to the victims of drunk driving and the community that entrusts the police to keep them safe.
In 2019, Officer Nathan Meier was on armed and on duty when he passed out while driving a police car near an airforce base. When investigators confronted Meier about the incident, he admitted to being blackout drunk.
But instead of taking appropriate action, Aurora Police Chief Nick Metz chose to sweep the incident under the rug and refused to fire Meier. The department also failed to conduct a criminal investigation or inform prosecutors, even though multiple officers said Meier and his car smelled like a distillery.
This promotion is a clear indication that the Aurora Police Department values protecting its own over protecting the community they are sworn to serve. Its badge now represents the department's corrupt and negligent practices.
[Via The Denver Post]