Drugs, alcohol and sleeping on the job are among the infractions in a new wave of Dallas police or firefighter discipline.
Six employees have been suspended but all of them kept their jobs, according to letters to those employees just released to NBC 5 after a public records request.
A citizen caught Officer Charles Boyd sleeping in his patrol car for 42 minutes on Jan. 8, the letter to Boyd said.
It was the 12th infraction since 2002 for Boyd, who is assigned to the Southeast Police Patrol Substation. Seven of his other violations include sleeping, absent without leave or missing assignments.
For this latest infraction Boyd received 5 days suspension from June 28 to July 4.
Another officer received five days suspension in June for an off-duty firearm violation that occurred in 2011.
A third police officer received three days suspension this month for being under the influence of alcohol while on duty in February.
Local
The latest news from around North Texas.
Three Dallas firefighters all received 15 day suspensions in June and July. One was arrested for driving while intoxicated off duty in April. Another tested positive for cocaine on duty in April and a third tested positive for alcohol on duty in May.
“In our case, when you have a lapse in judgment, it doesn’t mean we need to fire you from the Fire Department,” Dallas Fire Rescue Lt. Joel Lavender said. “Discipline is important. We need to change the unwanted behavior into behavior that’s acceptable.”
The records show all three firefighters will be subject to two years of random drug testing. They were also offered professional help from the city’s employee assistance program.
“We hold our people to a higher standard. We have to act credible on and off duty. Our discipline doesn’t begin we’re at work. It begins when we’re at home,” Lavender said.
Boyd could not be reached for comment and the Dallas police did not return phone and e-mail messages left by NBC 5.
