Story Archive

Just a Few Beers

Lawrence O’Toole drinks and drives. His ride is furnished by the St. Louis, Mo., police, of which he’s the interim chief; like other high-ranking officers, he gets to take his car home. “Commanders are on call 24/7, and we’re also human, and we’ve got to eat dinner, and I’m not going to say I haven’t had a few beers,” he said. But city policies say employees may not drink “while operating a motor vehicle,” and personnel director Richard Frank wants to revise the policy to make clear the policy also extends to driving after drinking. “To me, it does not seem appropriate to go into a bar, have a drink, get into a city vehicle, and drive off,” Frank said. (AC/St. Louis Post-Dispatch) ...People who drink and drive should definitely travel in police cars — in the back seat.