Sheriff takes leave over DWI arrest

There's not a new sheriff in town yet although Guadalupe County's looking for one after Sheriff Robert Chavez, busted last month on suspicion of drunken driving, took a leave of absence Tuesday.

[oh hell]

isnt that just lovely...Tame that wild west...

[Connie Deen]

I think this just goes to show that we are all human and make mistakes. We need to learn from this and move on. No one is perfect!

[Upset civilian]

Wow! He might even get off. While if this were anybody else they would throw the book at them. What difference it makes when it's one of your own. Towards just being a civilian in town drinking at a bar then driving off in your vehicle.

[amy]

So this does happen everywhere? And here I thought it was just my small town. Whats with these sheriffs who think they can do as they want?

[Mark]

A non-cops leave of absence would be in jail and ,of course, unpaid. We may all make mistakes but when are cops going to start paying for them like the rest of us.

[Does not surprise me Fl]

This goes on everywhere just it is never made national. I have seen it here with officals be it Sheriff, Deputy, city officals. Makes me sick.

[Robert Hughes]

I read these comments ie "this goes on everywhere".
"a non-cop would bein jail". Neither statement is appropriate or true. As a retired Police Officer I have arrested numerous Dui's including fellow police officers. The only time a DUI is jailed for the most part is when there is no one to release them to or there are warrants for the person. People who make the previous statements have obviously committed these crimes and been jailed.

[just say NO]

Robert Hughes wrote:

I read these comments ie "this goes on everywhere".
"a non-cop would bein jail". Neither statement is appropriate or true. As a retired Police Officer I have arrested numerous Dui's including fellow police officers. The only time a DUI is jailed for the most part is when there is no one to release them to or there are warrants for the person. People who make the previous statements have obviously committed these crimes and been jailed.

Yah but your a texas cop , and clearly you are ignorant in how the rest of the country works . Here its the law they spend the night in jail , unless your a cop

[jtl]

All human and make mistakes? Yes,,,but "normal" people will get in trouble. he will get off,,,just watch. this is why i do not like police,,,rules do not apply to them.

[jtl]

I have never had a DWI or a DUI. But your comment is so wrong. Cops always get off. Yes you might pull them over but do they have to pay the fines, do the time that "normal" people do??? HELL NO!!!!!!!!! Cops protect cops and that is the way it will always be. I know cops too and I have been told some things i wish i didn't know. all crooked!!!!!!!!!!

Robert Hughes wrote:

I read these comments ie "this goes on everywhere".
"a non-cop would bein jail". Neither statement is appropriate or true. As a retired Police Officer I have arrested numerous Dui's including fellow police officers. The only time a DUI is jailed for the most part is when there is no one to release them to or there are warrants for the person. People who make the previous statements have obviously committed these crimes and been jailed.

[Dan]

The governor of IL gets away with selling the Senate seat... a sheriff in NM gets away with driving drunk... when the hell are these crooks going to get what's coming to them?! I agree, a "normal" person would be in jail, pay huge fines, etc... but another cop/politician/movie star, they all get off with warnings, maybe a slap on the wrist. It's BS at its worst!!

[Retired MOS]

Four-person department? How many residents are there? 25?

[Retired MOS]

Dan - how did he get away with anything? This is an on-going case. It's imbeciles like yourself who hate us until you need us - then it's "Oh officer please help me" or "sorry officer, I never got a ticket in my life" (more like you were never caught). Get a life and stop hating us, sorry you weren't "quick" enough to pass the mustard in becoming a LEO or you're just another coward arm-chair QB.

[Anon]

How many times has NMSP knew this has taken place? Small towns talk!

[unknown]

What's new Sheriff Chavez is always leaving the bars drunk. It's about time he got caught. Maybe now he won't go around talking bad about other people, like he knows how. Sheriff Chavez is no angel. Recently he was under investigation for another incident. Hopefully justice will be served.

[Stagehand]

Retired MOS wrote:

Dan - how did he get away with anything? This is an on-going case. It's imbeciles like yourself who hate us until you need us - then it's "Oh officer please help me" or "sorry officer, I never got a ticket in my life" (more like you were never caught). Get a life and stop hating us, sorry you weren't "quick" enough to pass the mustard in becoming a LEO or you're just another coward arm-chair QB.

Most of us have never needed a cop they are worthless , the reality is their only real job is doing paper work after the fact thats why its called a crime scene , they show up after the crime has been commited and more and more often the cops are the perps. Thats part of the problem with cops they over value them selves and their service to the community . Face the facts cops are just provide revenue , they only think in their twisted minds they are proventing crime . and being abe to figure out what happend after a crime is commited realy aint that special or difficult. So Officer Cluless enjoy our pension and bask in your illusion of self worth .

[oh hell]

here in asheville nc, our sheriff and his henchmen are going to FEDERAL prison...for taking money for illegal operations of video poker machines... prolly runnin moonshine too...hillbillies...lol

[Anon]

Sheriff Chavez will not get off that easy! He will get what he deserves! Why do you think that someone tipped him after he left pecos bar to NMSP!! Good People want him replaced with a Sheriff who deserves the position. However, his sobriety test were a a JOKE as per the Video that we saw on the internet. Looked like a well orchstarted setup as the officer points toward the camrea knowing all the time what he was allowing to happen. Pro: He was caught. Con: It was a tip off and poor sobriety test!

[unknown]

People face the facts Santa Rosa is such a political
town. If a officer does his job their he get's in trouble because it's one the politician family member or friend. That's why all of their good officer's have left to work somewhere else. Wake up politician and the people of Guadalupe County. What is it going to take, for your love one to get killed from a drunk. Thank God for the NMSP their.

[sher]

The officer needs help, hopefully he is going into treatment. But he is not the first, and not the last, when they get rid of this macho image and realize that officers are only people who deal with societies scum, then maybe police will have less of a emotional burden.
He did the right thing by taking leave, now if he continues to do the right thing and get sober, I am all for it, If he doesn't, then treat him like any other criminal.