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11 City Manager Mike Talbot said on Friday he will take an additional “five to 10 business days” to decide the job status of Police Chief David Board, who was arrested for DWI on Aug. 16 in Austin. Board remains on leave.
According an Austin Police Department report obtained by The Advertiser, Board was pulled over on Ed Bluestein Boulevard after being observed swerving his Ford truck and making a left-hand turn from the a right-hand lane.
Board registered a .226 blood alcohol level on a breath test, according the police report, nearly three times the .08 level for which a driver is legally intoxicated in Texas.
While Talbot takes further time to consider Board’s job status, the Bastrop City Council lent Talbot their support in the review process.
After the council came out of executive session during their regular meeting on Aug. 24, they released a statement which read, “The city council expresses confidence in the city manager’s ability to move forward and resolve the pending personnel matter concerning David Board.”
On Friday, Mayor Terry Orr said the council felt the need to release a statement supporting Talbot, “because this is not a situation that is a frequent occurrence. We put a lot of support in Mr. Talbot addressing this situation.”
Orr added, “I have received a lot of comment from a lot of people who have expressed a whole spectrum of opinions” on the status of Board.
What’s to think about? He is supposed to uphold the law,he broke the law.
Fire him. If you don’t how on Earth will the Police be able to inforce DWI laws?
i am sure he will just resign/retire… that would be the honorable thing to do.. i just wonder if a officer on the force got a DWI also.. how would that play out? jus saying..
I have lost my trust in the city manager, city council and the mayor. David Board should have been fired the day after he was arrested for driving while intoxicated. How will the Bastrop police enforce DWI laws? I am extremely upset that my tax dollars are paying for David Board’s salary while he supposedly is on “leave”.
I completely agree with Laura’s comments. David Board deserves the same treatment he would give any of his officers in the same situation, he should have been fired immediately. I am absolutely outraged that the tax payers are paying for him to be on “leave”. Mike Orr should be finding a qualified candidate, other than Matt Wagner, to run the Police Department.
I don’t think that this topic should even be up for debate. What if his actions had caused him to crash and kill someone? With this type of behavior I don’t think there should be a three strikes and you’re out mentality.
So, if I decide to drink and drive in Bastrop that’s cool, right? That’s the message I’m getting. Really awesome decision city management. I’m super happy my tax dollars are being used to pay this idiot that never should have been hired to begin with. He LIED about the first DWI, that alone should be grounds for termination. Thank God he didn’t kill or injure anyone. And you reward him by letting him resign in november so he can get his full retirement? Seriously? Wow.
I understand where everyone is coming from, however….for the majority of us,….getting a DWI would not cost us our jobs. Yes, it may cost us some respect, but most of us would not be fired from our jobs because of it.
I believe that he should receive the same consequences that any of the rest of us would receive if we were in the same situation.
I totally understand that in his position, he is supposed to be an example of the law, but we also need to understand he is still an imperfect human being. He has weaknesses, just like the rest of us. I believe that yes, he should face the same consequences of the rest of us, and I believe he needs help to overcome this, whether it be AA, or another program which will help him understand why he is doing this, and help him overcome it.
The man has already been arrested, he is already facing the loss of respect in the community, he is already having to face his co-workers over this, – and he will have this on his record. Not only this, but his name is being splattered all over the newspapers about this. What more should we do to him? Crucify him over and over again?
I do not know this officer, but I do know, that no human being is perfect and we all make mistakes. We may make different mistakes, but we all do indeed make mistakes, and I don’t believe there is a single person, who can stand before God, and say, there is nothing in their life that they would rather the public not know. He’s been humiliated enough, yes, to his own doing but even still, – where I come from, we forgive, and we allow others to move on. This officer deserves the same. These comments are just mean and cruel. Give the man some peace, and let him get up for God’s sake!
According to KVUE. This police chief is being allowed to retire with benefits. What an outrage! I understand he has put 25 years into the Department but getting tax payers money to break the law is absolutely appalling.
Below is the article:
Bastrop chief of police resigns
KVUE News kvue.com
Posted on August 31, 2010 at 4:39 PM
The Chief of Police for Bastrop has resigned.
David Board, who was arrested in Austin on Aug. 17 for driving under the influence of alcohol, held the position of chief since April 2002.
Following Board’s arrest, city officials assessed alternatives for addressing the situation. However, Monday night after discussions between Board and the city, Board turned in his resignation. It will become effective November 1.
Because Board would have been up for retirement on October 31, the city is allowing him to receive retirement benefits as a result of his almost 25 years of service with the police department.
The city manager has appointed Assistant Chief Matt Wagner as acting Chief of Police until Board’s position is permanently filled.
A. Hudson..
Its simple.. he has been charged.. NOT CONVICTED of DWI.. even if it goes to court, i am sure it would be after the resignation date..
so, therefore, resigning is a good way for him to get retirement..
i am not saying its right or wrong about the benefits..
but he is still Innocent, at the moment.. however, he is lucky, its good timing.. : ))
It’s amazing to me that so many perfect, faultless people read this fine publication.
It is a very unfortunate mistake that Chief Board has made and thank god that he did not hurt anyone and I agree with “Tina.” In a time of layoffs, downsizing and foreclosures, I hope that none of you run red lights, stop signs, text in a school zone or drive above the speed limit because then my recommendation is to FIRE your BUTT! You know that you can’t set expect us to shop at your stores, hire your companies or invest in your services when you can’t uphold the laws. This man gave 25 years of his life to a small minded community and deserves his retirement, regardless of his personal and dangerous mistake. And not to mention, his FAMILY, who has done no wrong, deserves the same benefit.
And for the record, KRISTINA needs to read into this a bit more as Chief Board DID disclose his DWI at the time of his hire when he was 21.