First published in print: Wednesday, June 23, 2010
How would you like to be pulled over by a police officer who gets into fights while off-duty? How would you like him to be the one who shows up at your home to deal with a disturbance?
We wouldn't, and we would imagine most Schenectady residents wouldn't be comfortable with the idea, either. A person who can't control himself, on or off the job, should not be doing police work.
Yes, it's a higher standard than we might impose on, say, a government clerk. But higher expectations come with the privilege and responsibility of wearing a badge and carrying a gun.
So we fully agree with Mayor Brian Stratton's effort to fire officers like Darren Lawrence, and are baffled at how a hearing officer can conclude that Mr. Lawrence's behavior qualifies him for no more than a brief suspension.
Mr. Lawrence, who has been on the Schenectady police force since 2001, was suspended for 30 days without pay for punching a man and hurling racial slurs in a 2008 incident at a nightspot. The officer, who was off-duty at the time, was said to have thrown the first punch, and to have fought with officers who arrived at the scene. No criminal charges were filed against him. Police gave him a ride home.
Imagine a typical citizen getting such treatment after tussling with a police officer.
At the time, Mr. Lawrence already was facing charges in connection with an October 2006 incident in which he lost control of his car in the town of Colonie, flipping it into a ditch. He allegedly fought with his brother-in-law, who was a passenger in the car and wanted to report the crash to authorities. Mr. Lawrence, who was off-duty that time as well, was charged with leaving the scene of a personal injury accident, a misdemeanor, and harassment, a violation. That case is still pending almost four years later.
Police officers have a tremendous amount of power to intrude into our lives. They decide whether to let us off on a traffic stop or give us a ticket, or whether to slap the cuffs on us or give us a ride home. For that discretion and that power, we expect wisdom and self-control. Mr. Lawrence's personal actions do not suggest he has an abundance of either.
Mr. Stratton should reject the recommendation from the city's hearing officer to give Mr. Lawrence just the 30-day suspension he already has served, and fire him instead. Leaving someone on the force whose actions inspire neither confidence nor trust from citizens only makes it that much harder for good police officers to do their jobs.
The issue:
A hearing officer recommends a short suspension for a police officer involved in fights.
The Stakes:
Problem officers harm the department's mission and public confidence.
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