The public can lean toward cynicism with regards to law enforcement tactics, especially when one of the law enforcement's own is the supposed perpetrator of a crime. Would an officer meet the same legal consequences as an average citizen who is arrested for suspicion of DUI?

Some are specifically questioning the extreme DUI case involving an Arizona officer who was arrested back in December. She was reportedly investigated by police after committing multiple traffic violations and ultimately became the subject of a drunk driving investigation. The incident initially resulted in charges, but they didn't last.

According to a Tucson report, the county prosecutor dismissed the initial charges because the police department hadn't yet provided the necessary information in order to support the case. So, at this point, some wonder whether the charges will be refiled or whether it pays to be a police officer when it comes to supposedly breaking the law.

A DUI defense attorney not involved with this particular case suggests that this isn't a case of preferential treatment. He suspects that the prosecutor is simply trying to carefully manage the case in order to make a strong argument against the suspect. An extreme DUI is a serious allegation. That means that the defendant's blood alcohol concentration allegedly measured in at above 0.15.

Currently, the suspect may not be facing criminal charges, but she is on leave from the police department. A mere criminal accusation can often have an impact on a person's career. If charged with drunk driving, a suspect shouldn't hesitate to defend his name with the help of an aggressive criminal defense attorney.

Source

KVOA.com: "County Prosecutor has not filed charges in Marana officer's DUI case," Jan. 12, 2012