Risch won’t reconsider drug czar appointee

Sat., July 15, 2006

Associated Press The Spokesman-Review

BOISE – Gov. Jim Risch would still have named Jim Tibbs as Idaho drug czar even if he had known Tibbs had violated a Boise city policy by driving a patrol car after drinking alcohol, a Risch spokesman said.

Brad Hoaglun also said there are no plans to change the drug czar. Tibbs was named to the post Tuesday. His driving a patrol car after drinking alcohol began to emerge Wednesday and was confirmed by Tibbs on Thursday.

“There’s no reconsideration by the governor at all,” Hoaglun told the Idaho Statesman.

At the time of the Dec. 18, 2004, incident, Tibbs was serving as Boise’s interim police chief before retiring at the end of that year.

He was at a Christmas party when he found out about a police shooting in which 16-year-old Mathew Jones died.

A community ombudsman report about that shooting released Wednesday noted that one officer, which it referred to as Officer No. 6, had admitted drinking one glass of wine before he was notified of the shooting and drove to the scene.

“I am Officer No. 6,” said Tibbs, a Boise city councilman. “I believe in full disclosure. I believe in being open and honest. I’m not trying to defend it.”

Tibbs said he did not tell Risch or his staff about the incident until Wednesday when the ombudsman’s report was released and after he had been appointed drug czar.

He said he was not intoxicated or impaired when he drove the patrol car.

“Obviously I needed to be there,” he said.

It is against police department policy for employees to drive city vehicles within eight hours of consuming alcohol.

The ombudsman’s report said Tibbs was aware of the policy.

City Councilwoman Elaine Clegg also went to the shooting scene and said Tibbs did not appear to be intoxicated.

“I appreciate the fact that he recognized the need for disclosure,” Council President Maryanne Jordan said.

Boise Mayor Dave Bieter, in a statement, said, “Such behavior by a public servant is never acceptable, and I would be disturbed to learn of similar conduct by any city employee, no matter what his or her position or job assignment.”

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