Victoria police sergeant reinstated after on-duty drink-driving incident

A specialist sergeant in Victoria Police, involved in the search for Dezi Freeman, was initially sacked after rear-ending a vehicle on Hickory Road in Berwick and testing 0.07 on a breathalyzer. He explained to the Police Registration and Services Board that he had drunk two “very strong” bourbon-cokes three hours earlier to cope with sleeplessness following the double murder of two officers by Freeman. The board found the termination “harsh,” noting his diagnosed post-traumatic stress disorder, 68-hour work stretch over five days, and recent funeral attendance as mitigating factors.

While it did not excuse the conduct, the board reinstated him, removed him from his specialist unit, placed him in an operational training team, and required a $2,500 donation to Police Legacy. Victoria Police had argued for the dismissal to protect the force’s reputation, but the board’s decision emphasized the officer’s long service and mental-health challenges.