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April 20, 2010 in City
Spokane County deputy faces license suspension
Schaum refused sobriety test during DUI arrest
A Spokane County Sheriff’s Office deputy faces a one-year driver’s license suspension after refusing to take sobriety tests during an off-duty drunken driving arrest early Friday.
Darin Schaum, a 12-year veteran, appeared to be racing or confronting another motorist while driving his personal Dodge pickup about 1:30 a.m. near Broadway Avenue and McDonald Road, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Spokane Valley police Officer Todd Miller said Schaum “identified himself as a deputy sheriff and exhibited signs of intoxication,” according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Washington State Patrol troopers took over the case “in order to prevent any conflict of interest,” said WSP Trooper Troy Briggs. Spokane Valley police officers are employed through the Sheriff’s Office.
Schaum was arrested about 2 a.m. and later released. Drunken driving suspects typically are taken to a blood-alcohol content machine, then released if they have a ride home, Briggs said.
An on-duty sergeant, Ken Salas, offered Schaum a ride home but “I believe he declined,” said Sheriff’s Office spokesman Sgt. Dave Reagan.
Schaum also refused sobriety tests, Briggs said. No citation was issued, and the case will be forwarded to the Spokane County prosecutor’s office.
Drivers in Washington lose their licenses for one year the first time they refuse to take blood or breath tests, according to the Department of Licensing. “The process is pretty straightforward,” department spokesman Brad Benfield said.
A driver who refuses the tests is given 60 days to appeal before his or her license is suspended, Benfield said.
A new state law, however, enables a motorist who loses driving privileges because of a drunken driving arrest to retain restricted privileges if the driver agrees to have ignition interlock devices installed on his or her vehicle.
The new law has prompted the Sheriff’s Office to review a policy that calls for employees to be fired only after their second offense.
The Spokane Police Department cited the ignition interlock requirement when dismissing a sergeant arrested in a drunken hit-and-run crash last fall.
Schaum, part of an investigative task force that tracks property crimes and fugitives, will be reassigned pending an administrative review, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
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Another_Perspective on April 20 at 7:59 a.m.
“reassigned” to what a position of trust and responsibility? maybe litter pickup or toilet cleaning at the jail.
I wish all civilian agencies would be so lenient when their crooked employees flaunt the law.. oh we dont need that…we have Avista.
I wonder if he is now going to take the bus or have mommy drive him to work?
Edwame on April 20 at 1:55 p.m.
Is there a perception in the community that local law enforcement is given preferential treatment in these types of cases? Equal treatment for every citizen is what one would expect to be “fair”. If this was any other member of the community, especially a person of authority and responsibility - how would they be treated and what would the outcome be? One would hope that it would be the same for him as anyone else. We will have to wait and see.
lewis8457 on April 21 at 9:23 a.m.
After the last drunk cop hit a pole in Liberty Lake it was reported an officer could be charged with DUI once with out termination. This officer will just get a slap on the wrist and reassigned to a supervisory duty, most likely with pay increase.
They are not like us in any way they are cops, and they are protected by all the other liars and cheaters in offices above them.
The entire upper management of city and county administration needs to be completely dismantled and restructured with professionals that have morals.