Off-duty Portland police detective cited for DUII
PORTLAND, Ore. – An off-duty Portland Police Detective was cited for driving under the influence early Sunday morning, police said.
Clackamas County sheriff’s deputies cited Detective Darrell Miller in Government Camp, Ore. just after 2 a.m., according to Portland Police Sgt. Pete Simpson.
Deputies took Miller to the Sandy Police Department, where they said he blew a breath sample with a .09 blood alcohol content. The legal limit is .08.
The sheriff's office said Miller was cooperative and polite as he was cited and released.
Miller is a 23-year-veteran of the police bureau. He’s been placed in an off-street assignment in the telephone report unit pending the ongoing investigation by the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office and an internal review by the Portland Police Bureau.
Miller is due in Clackamas County court on Feb. 26.
I have known Darrell my whole life as someone that I look up to. He is a phenomenal man and has been a friend of our family for over 45 years. Yes, he made a mistake but how many of us on here have ever done something they wish they could take back? My guess is all of you have at least one of those moments. He should not be treated like this, .09 percent is all it was, just barely over the legal limit. For goodness sake, that is about two-three drinks. Iâm not condoning drinking and driving but I donât think this should be as big of a deal as it is. Most of you on here donât even know him and it hurts me to see what everyone is saying. Especially when all the knowledge they have is for this instance, they donât know of all the good he has done for our community and the number of people he has helped as a detective.
This story is getting completely blown out of proportion and it is ridiculous!! I saw one station that isnât even in our general area, let alone state, reporting this news. The only reason this is getting so much attention is because he is a detective and people seem to always be waiting for any member of law enforcement to mess up. If it was any other âaverage community memberâ this would not be that big of a story. Seriously, how many individuals have driven after having a few drinks? The answer: Â A TON.
So I ask please stop making your rude comments and keep them to yourself they are not helping anyone. For those of you giving him the benefit of the doubt and agree with me, I thank you.
Bad Cop. No donut.
Cited (and released?) and that's it? Us commoners get our car towed and a trip to jail for a photography session.
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Must be great to be immune to all the laws the surfs have to abide by.
"With great power comes great responsibility"
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When you pin on the badge things change. People expect you to set the example, to be a role model. Most cops relish that role. The problem is that cops are human and have problems, weaknesses, imperfections. Everyone goes through rough patches in their life, cops certainly. Alcohol or drugs NEVER make them better, only worse. The effects of alcohol are insidious and disastrous, for all involved. He needs to take his lumps like everyone else and get the help he needs like everyone else.
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This just cannot be so.
Police DO NOT break the law.
Doesn't everyone know that?
If guilty fire him. It is long past time to strengthen the DUII laws in this country, you et drunk you drive call it attempted manslaughter. you don't have the intent to kill but you have little control over a 2000 pund guided missle known as a car.
 @Jeremy You're hilarious. He's a cop, therefore nothing will happen to him except having to pay a small fine and promise to be good for a while.
 @Jeremy In many other countries, the first DUII and your banned
from driving for 5 yrs. No exception for driving to work, etc.
They take DUII seriously. We don't.
@Mipsfer @Jeremy some middle eastern countries they just shoot you in the street, that is taking DUI seriously. i will admit that would be just a weeeee bit over the top.
They need to stop protecting these fools, they work for us and would not hesitate to stop us and give us a ticket....Same goes for cops they should not be protected citizens. My son was killed by a drunk driver I have no tolerance for anyone who drives impaired. Â There is no excuse especially from folks that are sworn to protect us.
OH boy. I have no idea how many PPB officers I took home to include a captain or two, but I guess PPB changed the title since I was with CCSO. In this new paradigm I would have gotten days off and now these kid are heroes for arresting one of their own rather than letting the department handle it internally. Yea, I know all about the comments that might be forthcoming, but I would fear an internal investigation before any Clark County judge,,,
 @boned The arresting "one of their own" you are referring to -- You mean a fellow criminal, right?
@boned If your statement reflects the typical "cop" then it is no wonder so many people distrust, and despise, LEO's. Your statement epitomizes the disparity felt by many between those that lead and the average joe. SAD!!! Is it even worth my time to point out the oath taken by police to hold themselves accountable for their actions?Â
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@Kramr That time is clearly not restricted to our past.
@boned  """""these kid are heroes for arresting one of their own rather than letting the department handle it internally."""""
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IMHO, its sad to think there was a time the LEO's were above the law
Time to revisit DUI. Â MADD was successful in criminalizing what ends up to be social behavior. Â I know you guys don't like it, but driving at over.08 is very common. Â If you drink and go out, you have probably broken the law. Â I've been told that if I have 2 glasses of wine, I am potentially over the limit. Â So, we've put in a system where occasionally someone gets caught and gets punished and we are all "outraged." Â If we were looking at a higher level than .08, this might make sense. Â As it stands, it's just the new prohibitionists. Â They lost in their attempt to ban alcohol, but they never gave up. Â Alcohol is a sacrament in our society. Â We drink at birthdays, weddings, New Years, etc. Â It's time to revisit the law.
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With all the talk about gun control, we've had "pro-freedom" people crawling out of the woodwork. Â Well, to me, having a drink with friends is more of an issue of freedom than sitting in a dark basement stroking my AK-47.
 @blotto by the way, no one is saying you shouldn't be able to go out and get smashed with your friends. Just don't drive home. Just like you probably wouldn't want me to turn my back yard into a shooting range.
See, now that made sense. Except that your backyard would be fine as a shooting range depending where you live.
@blotto  I sure miss the thumbs down button with your comment.Â
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IMHO, punishment for driving drunk should be twice what it is.... Drunk driving kills FAR MORE people each year than guns.Â
I've never been looking down the barrel of a gun in the hand of a lunatic, but my wife was almost killed by a drunk driver.
@kramr I miss the thumbs down as well. When you talk drunk drivers, are you talking .08 or stone drunk? IMHO, .08 is less distracted then driving with crying kids in the cars; less distracted then texting; less distracted then driving tired, etc. It's just the blue noses trying to bring back prohibition.
@TreeWizard @kramr I truly doubt that I can handle alcohol any better than whatever average is. I also don't want to see anyone injured and I would support heavier sentences for DUI if the alcohol limit was adjusted upwards from .08. I'd also support stricter sentences for any level of alcohol and speeding. As things sit, we have a law that many people break occasionally. Since there is not wide spread support for the law outside of lip service (as evidenced by behavior, not talk), a change is in order. But MADD has successfully conflated a glass of wine or two with drunk and reckless. I am only calling for sanity.
 @blotto  @TreeWizard  @kramr Hey, you might be someone that can handle alcohol better than the average person. Personally I am not going to put someone else at risk.
@TreeWizard @kramr I'll take a driving test with 2 glasses of wine and you take any of the above conditions. Open your mind.
 @blotto  @kramr process*
 @blotto  @kramr Alcohol doesn't distract you. It impairs your coordination and slows your thought processes.
It costs more to train a police officer than most people make in 2 years. To fire one every time they disapoint us is extremely foolish. There is no reason that a detective with one DUI cannot be rehabilitated. That is not a pattern. If a patern developes then it is time to seriously consider dismissal.
Wow, someone with common sense posted. Cops are human to and prone to human error and mistake. They are not robots and programmed to do everything perfect like so many people think. He was arrested for DUII. He will have due process like anyone else would have and let the courts decide. Ive seen people with 10 duii's over 33 year period get off because the jury felt sorry for him and didn't know about the priors.
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DUII's go off impairment, not BAC. BAC is strictly for DMV purposes. He could have been a .02 and been impaired (ie, failed tests). I could drink 2 beers and be impaired, but I would probably barely hit a BAC level.
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This detective will learn from his mistake like everyone else.
@tappedout15 He should have known it was wrong in the first place.
Correct, I'm sure he did know it was wrong, but since he is a normal person, he makes mistakes. God I hope your never on a jury because you clearly see one side of the issue and paint the line.
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 @memory9 Ummm, so you are for a double standard, and the us vs them? A DUI is not foolish it is a serious lapse in judgment that shouldn't just be shrugged off.
Tree, it seems fairly consistent that you put your own spin on what people say. Memory9 didn't say it should be shrugged off. She is saying a mistake was made, which doesn't mean he has a pattern of driving impaired. .
Double the time, double the fine, and fire him.
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Anyone in the justice system should be held to a higher standard since the know the laws.
 @RalphCramden I enjoy your postings as well but like Boned said, I believe that in this particular case, your suggestion to fire him is rather drastic.
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There is no question that society, as a whole, put LEOs on a higher pedestal and that these folks need to be careful with their activities while off duty. We're talking a 23 year veteran of the PPB here. For all we know, this guy could have a stellar performance record with perhaps some citations for his work and yet, one "mistake" cost him his job?
 @GeauxOSUÂ
I am subject to random drug testing at any time to keep my professional licenses. At any time I can get a call from the state and have to go for a drug test. If I test dirty I can be placed on probation, suspended, or revoked.
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Knowing that I live my life as clean as possible.
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The other day I had a guest who had marijuana on him while in my house. I never knew that until another friend told me about that. I call up that guest and asked him about it and he admitted to it. I told him that he put my licenses in jeopardy and told him to never come in my house again with anything that is illegal. He said he had an OMMP card and I told him that in my house that doesn't apply.
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The bottom line is that he would not guarantee not to do that again and so I just told him that I prefer than he not come over again. It appeared he didn't care about my licenses and the requirements that have been placed on me to keep them.
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I hold a high standard and will continue to do so. I will not embarrass myself, my wife, my family or those allied professionals in my professions.
That sounds so fair Ralph. In fact if any officer goes over the speed limit, the fine should be doubled or even tripled right?? Cuz they aren't human and aren't allowed mistakes right? That detective has probably put away hundreds/thousands of people over his career and saved many of lives. We should look the other way from all his accomplishments and do a China firing squad on him because he made a human error..Right???
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Your comment was very ignorant if you cant tell from the "tone" of my message.
 @tappedout15Â
How is that ignorant? I stated an opinion and there were no facts involved. Being ignorant requires belief in or stating facts that are contrary to accepted facts.
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Anyone involved in the justice system, other than office workers, know the laws.
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Not only that, think of the shame he had brought on to Portland police bureau and police in general. Cops, especially the Portland police bureau, already have a bad reputation and don't need this.
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More than likely he has saved few lives if any. As for putting folks in jail that is his job and he is no different than someone who works any other job. I don't elevate cops to some level of heroics. In fact being a cops is not even a dangerous job compared to the UPS driver which is much more dangerous.
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I stand by my statement.
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 @tappedout15Â
http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2012/09/20/the-10-deadliest-jobs-in-america
http://money.cnn.com/gallery/pf/2012/09/20/most-dangerous-jobs/index.html
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If you notice police or firefighters are not even in the top 10. Being LEO is relatively safe.
 @RalphCramden Where are your "Facts"? Your confusing danger with accidents. If you think its more dangerous to suit up in brown shorts versus a police uniform then you should be riding a short bus. Maybe you should sign up for a ride along in Portland with the PD and then do one with UPS another day. I guarantee you will be a bit more relaxed delivering packages.Â
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What is stupid about it? It is a fact that delivery drivers have a much higher rate if death on the job than cops.
@RalphCramden That was stupid..Make sure YOU call UPS next time you need help. I'm sure they will rush a package overnight to you.
Oh okay, so its cool if he breaks the law because he is a cop, and you justify that with the possibility of him maybe having saved someone. Look the other away becase of his accomplishments? Wow if this guy made a sudden stop your head would go right up his a**.
 @TreeWizardÂ
Where are you reading that I put its okay for him to drive impaired because he may have saved someone??? The point was that he is probably a good guy that has done a lot in his career, but made a fng mistake.
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Sounds like your the only one with their head up their a** because you can't even read and make sense of what's being said.
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What's it like being perfect? You must feel incredible..
 @RalphCramden As much as I love ya' and usually agree with you, you are way off base on this comment, Sir...
 @bonedÂ
Well I can certainly appreciate not agreeing. I know that we agree most of the time so a few disagreements here and there are expected and I do appreciate the honestly.
 @boned  @RalphCramden How is he off base?
 @RalphCramden Well said Ralph.
Thats going to leave a mark.
I'm surprised they would give a ticket to one of their own. He must've done something that ticked-off his higher-ups.
An internal review by the Portland Police Bureau? You mean the whitewash brigade. Chief Reese will extol the virtues of Miller and put him back on the job just like he has with the avowed white supremacist and the road rager a citizen committee recommended be fired. There wouldn't be a "cultural" problem at the PPB, could there?
The police have NO over site when it comes to drugs/alcohol .We need to test all police every month and every time a weapon is used.
You will be the first person to cry when your taxes go up because of the cost to test "monthly" as you suggest. What a great idea...lol