The Larimer and Weld counties’ district attorneys were not informed by the Johnstown Police Department that an officer had been terminated for showing up drunk to the job, the Larimer district attorney’s office says.
, after a preliminary breath test showed he had a blood alcohol content of 0.107 on May 28 when he reported to work, according to Ward’s disciplinary action report.
Johnstown is primarily located in Weld County, although the incident occurred in the Johnstown Police Department substation in Larimer County, according to the Larimer County District Attorney Communications Specialist Kylie Massman.
“No reports or requests for investigation were ever shared by Johnstown Police Department with the Weld or Larimer district attorney offices,” Massman said in a statement.
Ward is not facing any charges, such as driving under the influence or prohibited use of a weapon, as of Friday morning, according to Colorado court records.
After learning the incident was in Larimer County, the office started a Critical Incident Response Team investigation, where an outside agency will conduct a criminal investigation. The district attorney’s office will review the investigation to see if Ward committed a crime, if charges can be pursued and why the Johnstown Police Department did not report the incident.
The Johnstown Police Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Neither Ward nor his attorney could be reached for comment.
Other Johnstown officers were suspicious that Ward may have arrived to work intoxicated at 6 a.m. May 28, according to the report. He arrived at work in his police patrol car with his firearm. Ward agreed to a preliminary breath test and showed a 0.107 blood alcohol content, over the 0.08 threshold for a DUI arrest, according to the report. He completed three other breath tests that morning, ranging between a 0.106 and 0.97 blood alcohol content.
Under the departmentap policy, no employee can be impaired while doing safety-sensitive work, nor can they drive a town vehicle while under the influence. Johnstown officials asked Ward to sign the disciplinary action report that recommended he should be terminated, but his attorney advised him not to, according to the report.
Ward said he had drunk about 15 alcoholic beverages the night before, according to the report, and that he had gone to sleep at about 11 p.m.
