An Aurora police officer has resigned in lieu of termination after an internal investigation revealed he had used drugs confiscated during a traffic stop, the department announced Wednesday.
Officer Michael Gallagher was investigated for several policy violations, including substance abuse, tampering with evidence and knowingly making false statements during an investigation or while testifying under oath, according to a .
The investigation revealed that Gallagher had taken narcotics collected as evidence during a traffic stop while on duty and later ingested them while driving home from his shift, causing him to become incapacitated in his vehicle on a highway in Commerce City, police said in the release.
Gallagher was immediately removed from duty and placed on administrative leave when the allegations were first reported, Aurora Police Chief Todd Chamberlain said in a statement.
“That investigation recently concluded, serious policy violations were sustained, and his employment with the Aurora Police Department has ended,” Chamberlain said.
The case has also been referred to the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office for the potential filing of criminal charges, according to the department.
“Every member of this organization takes an oath to serve and protect this community with professionalism, compassion and integrity,” Chamberlain said. “What occurred here violated that oath, our policies, and the trust placed in us by the public.”
Gallagher was reported to the Colorado Attorney General’s Office’s Peace Officer Standards and Training unit on Aug. 5, . As of Thursday morning, Gallagher was still certified in the database.
This is a developing story and may be updated.
