Officer off streets after random test

Alcohol in LR policeman’s system

Little Rock detectives began an internal investigation days after a patrol officer showed up for duty with alcohol in his system, acting assistant chief of police Wayne Bewley said Friday.

Patrol officer Bryant King was put on administrative leave Wednesday once a random drug test showed he had a blood alcohol content level of 0.03 percent, Bewley said.

A person can legally drive with a blood alcohol content level under 0.08, but Little Rock Police Department policy prohibits any blood alcohol content score over 0.02.

“We relieved him of duty right there,” Bewley said. “Clearly we have an issue with it; we’re going to deal with it.”

Bewley said he authorized an investigation the next day.

King, 26, joined the department in 2009, according to department spokesman

Sgt. Cassandra Davis.

King reported for work at the downtown patrol division Wednesday afternoon, where he works from 3 to 11 p.m., Bewley said.

Instead of going out into the street, he was told he had to take a random drug screening, which is standard in the department, Bewley said. Department policy says any employee can be randomly selected for testing up to three times a year.

A positive test for drugs or alcohol could ultimately lead to termination, department policy states.

Wednesday’s random drug screening isn’t King’s first alcohol-related offense.

Early on Oct. 1, 2010, a Hot Spring County sheriff’s deputy spotted a truck driving down the wrong side of Arkansas 283.

The truck pulled over after it crossed into Clark County, and when the deputy asked for identification, the driver, King, smelling of alcohol, handed the deputy his Little Rock police ID card and “asked for some courtesy,” arrest reports said.

During field sobriety tests, King repeatedly asked the deputy to use his “discretion” and grant “common courtesy,” reports said.

King was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated.

According to the arresting deputy’s report, King asked him, “What can I pay to make this go away?” because he was worried he might lose his job with the department.

Davis didn’t know what disciplinary action, if any, King received after his arrest.

Court records show that King appealed his DWI and lost and that his driver’s license was suspended by the court.

Davis didn’t know whether King’s license had been suspended, but she said that whenever an officer’s driver’s license is suspended or revoked, that officer usually is assigned to office work within the department.

This year two Little Rock officers were arrested in central Arkansas and charged with driving while intoxicated.

In February 2011, officer Rick Harmon was arrested and charged after Arkansas State Police officers found him “incapacitated and unresponsive” in his car parked off an Interstate 40 exit.

Harmon was suspended for 30 days, Davis said, and is back at work.

Officer Theddus McRae was arrested by Sherwood police officers and charged with DWI early in the morning on May 5.

He remained on paid administrative leave as of Friday, Davis said.