Burlington, News

Officer is serving unpaid suspension

By Jennifer Eisenbart

Editor

The City of Burlington police officer recently accused of drunken driving is in a midst of a 20-shift unpaid suspension.

The city police department released the disciplinary agreement regarding officer Eric Mitchell last week at the request of the Standard Press.

Mitchell was cited for drunken driving and hit and run to property on Dec. 16 following an incident that occurred while he was driving home from a fellow officer’s residence in Walworth County.

He is expected to return to work in mid-February. However, one of the conditions of the agreement – that states both Mitchell and Police Chief Mark Anderson will not seek any further action from the Police and Fire Commission – is that Mitchell maintain a full and unrestricted driver’s license.

Since Mitchell registered a .16 on a portable blood alcohol test according to the police report from the Walworth County Sheriff, that may be difficult. State law requires that a conviction based on any reading above .15 should involve an interlock device being installed on any vehicle Mitchell drives, which includes squad cars.

If that happens, the agreement states, Mitchell will resign.

3 Comments

  1. Wow!! This scares me to think that the officers involved here cannot be trusted.

    So an OUI is not an OUI -and treated differently if you are a police officer??

    Can someone PLEASE explain how the judicial system works….

  2. I have yet to see how he is being treated any differently than any other person being charged with DUI #1? He has a court date in March to determine his fate. At this point in time, he still has a license and has every right to go back to his job after serving his suspension from the police department. If he is convicted of his DUI with a BAC of .16, than he cannot legally perform his job as he will require an intoxilock on any car he drives. If he makes a plea and they lower the BAC number to below .15, or pleas out on a lesser charge, he gets to keep his job. Contrary to popular belief, this happens on a daily basis irregardless of who you are or what you do for a job! Give the man his day in court before hanging him!!!

  3. Jordan Ramlow come get me

    Pretty much.. Just like the case of racine county DA rich chiapete.. Pays to be on the right side of the badge.. Let me be the first to say that anyone who gives this man his job back should be fired.. At what point does law enforcement be held equally accountable.. B. P. D. is a joke.. A barney fife outfit if ive ever seen one, i hate B. P. D.. If tbey dont like it im sure they can track me down, if they dont have to call the sheriffs to tell them what an IP address is.. Jokers lol