Australia reinstates police officer dismissed for drink-driving
In Australia, Victoria’s Police Registration and Services Board has overturned the dismissal of a sergeant who drove a police vehicle while under the influence of alcohol and caused a crash in Berwick. The officer took part in the search for Dezi Freeman following the killing of two police officers in August 2025, ABC News reports.
The crash occurred shortly before 7:00 a.m. on September 10, 2025, on Hickory Road in Berwick, Victoria. The sergeant, driving an unmarked police vehicle in which firearms were stored, crashed into the car in front. After the collision, a breath test returned a reading of 0.07. He told the disciplinary board that about three hours before the crash, he had consumed two “very strong” bourbon and cola cocktails in an attempt to fall asleep.
Disciplinary board decision
The board stated that driving a police vehicle under the influence of alcohol was a particularly serious violation, while the presence of weapons in the vehicle increased the gravity of the misconduct. At the same time, it found that the sergeant’s dismissal, imposed in May, was too severe because the decision did not take into account his post-traumatic stress disorder, severe fatigue and excessive workload following the double murder in Porepunkah.
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The officer’s name has not been disclosed to protect his privacy. According to the board, after the shooting he worked at least 68 hours over five days, including one 18-hour shift. He was also unable to sleep before and after the funeral of Detective Leading Senior Constable Neil Thompson, which took place two days before the crash.
New service conditions
The investigator who examined the incident decided to dismiss the sergeant, raising concerns about possible alcohol dependence and alcohol-use problems. However, the board concluded that psychological assessments and references from senior colleagues did not confirm alcohol dependence. It also took into account the officer’s traumatic experience of fatally shooting an offender while on duty in 2024.
Instead of dismissal, the sergeant will be permanently transferred from his former specialised unit to an operational training team. In addition, he must donate 2,500 Australian dollars to Police Legacy, an organisation that supports the families of deceased police officers. Victoria Police insisted that the dismissal should be upheld, citing the need to maintain the force’s reputation and public trust.
