BANGOR, Maine — The Bangor police detective charged last week with drunken driving tested well above the legal limit for blood alcohol content, according to Penobscot County District Attorney R. Christopher Almy.
Almy said Friday the charge was lodged against Detective Erik Tall after someone contacted Bangor police about 6:30 p.m. Oct. 3 to say an on-duty detective was intoxicated at the Airport Mall on Union Street. Fellow police officers went to check on him.
Lt. Mark Hathaway, the city’s interim police chief, charged Tall with operating under the influence, Almy said.
“A person had given information that he had been drinking and they went and checked,” the district attorney said, referring to Tall’s fellow police officers.
Police used an Intoxilyzer test that showed Tall’s blood alcohol level was 0.13, Almy said.
The state’s legal limit for driving a vehicle is 0.08.
On Thursday, City Manager Cathy Conlow, without naming the person involved, said a Bangor Police Department employee was placed on unpaid leave Oct. 3 pending the outcome of an external investigation into the employee’s alleged misconduct.
Other Bangor police officers and Maine State Police troopers have faced drunken driving charges over the years that Almy’s office has prosecuted, the district attorney recalled.
“It’s happened before and we’ll deal with it just like everybody else,” Almy said of the case against Tall.
A 24-year veteran of the state police was charged in June with operating her state police cruiser while under the influence of alcohol.
Sgt. Julie Bergan, 54, who works out of the Houlton barracks, was charged after she reported for work in her state police-issued cruiser and her supervisor, Lt. Mark Brooks, and several co-workers saw her behaving in what they believed to be an erratic manner. She was given and failed field sobriety and blood-alcohol content tests, state police Lt. Col. Raymond Bessette said after the charges were filed.
Her attorney entered a not guilty plea on her behalf in August. Bergan was placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an internal investigation conducted by Lt. Erik Baker, who heads the Internal Affairs Division at state police headquarters in Augusta, Bessette said.
The last time a Bangor police officer was charged with drunken driving “was 25 years ago, in April 1987,” Conlow said. “He was suspended for five weeks and required to go into treatment. He never touched another drink.”
The police officer, who retired from the police department in 2007 after 36 years on the force, was “a stellar employee and is a good guy,” Conlow said.
He continues to volunteer for the city’s parks and recreation department, she said.
A drunken driving charge against a police officer does not automatically result in the person being fired, said Almy, who is district attorney for both Penobscot and Piscataquis counties.
“It depends on the person and depends on the circumstances,” he said, adding that city officials have the job of making that decision.
Of the two most recent law enforcement OUI charges his office handled, “One officer did not lose his job and the other one did,” Almy said.
Tall, a 15-year veteran of the Bangor police force who has spent the last three years keeping tabs on the the city’s roughly 200 registered sex offenders, could not be reached for comment. He is scheduled to be in court on Nov. 14.
Before he joined the Bangor police force, Tall worked for the Orono Police Department and the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office, according to the Bangor Daily News archives.
Conlow said Thursday that Hathaway handled the Oct. 3 incident with professionalism.
“He immediately took all of the actions to make sure that the matter was handled in an appropriate manner,” the city manager said in a statement. “He came in and took the steps necessary to protect the rights of the employee, the needs of the public and the needs of the [police] department.”
Conlow declined to reveal which police agency is conducting the external investigation, but she did say it would be a couple of weeks before it’s completed.
BDN writers Dawn Gagnon, Jen Lynds and Nick Sambides contributed to this report.
wonder how many times before has he gotten away with it
Most get away with it about 100 times I guess maybe not driving a police car . That is not important. Was he let off before? I do not know. I have have seen of the man is seems to be decent. With a very hard stressful job. 200 sex offenders he watched I am sure some new about Carlson. Did the tell tall? I do not know. Politics can drive any decent man to drink.
So do I.
it’s doesn’t happen to the best of us. Most people won’t drive while intoxicated. He could have killed someone. I’ve lost two people I considered family to drunk drivers, one who was left to die in the middle of the road and the drunk took off. Makes me wonder how many other times he’s been out drunk behind the wheel either off or on the clock. Officers who drive drunk should lose their jobs – or at the very least not allowed back on the job until they go through a treatment program – unpaid.
I think you will find it is not most who have never drank after driving maybe 50/50 Maybe Most have not been caught or make a habit of it. I would say if he had been warned before not the first time he did something stupid yes time to find another job. I do not know that. I have never saw the man drink. I have saw many cops drink in my day some drove. I do not think a .08 OUI is as dangerous as texting speeding or just being overtired to a seasoned drunk. .13 may be different. In any case it is wrong.
TRY 3.8
3.8 what?
Nope 0.13
If it was 3.8 I think he’d be dead.
my brother was over 4 and he is still alive.
you mean .4, right? A BAC above 1 will kill anyone. heck, .5 is enough to kill most people.
i drove myself to rehab at a .46, they thought the machine was broke. blood test proved it. doctors couldn’t figure out how i acted sober.
Should have been but was not I know this person
Another reason I couldn’ be a policeman. Walk the straight and narrow -or, find another job, go to Acadia, or, seek psychiatric attention….
Twenty years without a hitch – one possible slip – end of your career.
I wonder if any of these posters ever imbibed during lunch hour, or, stuck a beer in their lunch pails?
Maybe I’m an exception to the rule but I would NEVER have a drink before or during work. Stress is no excuse. I have worked for Hospice and dementia patients. What I do have is a responsibility to provide the best care possible. Shame on anyone that doesn’t have the integrity to perform their job to the best of their ability. I think he should be made an example of and given twice the usual punishment. He took an oath to protect and serve. No pun intended.
I never did.
I think it’s time for Walking Tall to be admitted to The Acadia Hospital for treatment.
good idea. my father drank. it ruined his life. i gave up drinking didnt want to end up like him. best decision i made. i have alot of stresses in my life never drank again even with the stresses. i have health issues too another reason i am not drinking
Not drinking hasn’t helped you much.
You can drink just don’t drive
For “treatment” of what?
Why are you so opposed to the idea that Det. Tall MAY have a problem with alcohol? I have said in each of my posts that I do not know the man, but I do many alcoholics, self admitted and medically diagnosed. I happen to come from a long line of drunks, and fortunately have escaped the disease so far. . .but I rarely drink. I do know it could happen to me at any time as the disease knows no age limits or is not affected by other demographic characteristics.
My fervent hope is that IF he does, he seeks treatment before it affects his life and the lives of those who love him, any further than this. This is a mistake made by many who do have the problem, although I do realize it may be situational and an unfortunate, isolated incident for the guy.
For drinking
Not having seen the original comment you are responding to, I am guessing it said it can happen to the best of yes. And YES, it can. Most people won’t drive while intoxicated because most peole are not alcoholics. An alcoholic has a few drinks for (stupid reason here) and is not drunk is his/her estimation. The fact is an alcoholic drinks because their bodies crave alcohol and they usually cannot stop themselves once they start. They often will become belligerent if someone suggests they have had too much. That is one of the ways the disease protects itself.
No alcoholic chose addiction, but it does happen. There is no cure, only treatment. For some it can be successful, for others it is a lifelong, losing battle. Some drunks are mean, but they would probably be just as mean without the booze. Many are kind, and giving people who suffer terribly from their addiction.
It’s wrong because your taxes paid him to get a buzz on. He was having fun on the clock and shoul be made an example of. He took advantage o his position of power and got caught. He should get the max even if it’s a 6 mOnths. He case should let other officers know that if they screw up they will pay dearly for it.
I do not usually defend cops . The man should be punished accordingly . Not saying the max is a fair. I do not all know the facts just what we read in the paper. If it turns out he has been warned a few times before than yes the max would only be fair. Agreed gmoney3510. I gave you a like.
All I’m getting at is if anyone me or you were to show up drunk and drive a company vehical at our jobs we would at the very least lose our jobs. The fact that he hasn’t been fired is ridiculous in my mind and shows that he is held to a different standard and should be dealt with in the worst way possible. He is a man who is supposed to uphold and enforce our laws and he goes breaking them while working. I do appreciate our controlled argument because on these post they get personal quick. Thankyou
Because he is a public employee, he has the right to due process before he can lose his job.
Please. Read the story. The officer in question is currently on unpaid administrative leave.
As of this latest news story I know of only law that he is alleged to have broken. Please note “alleged.” Innocent until proven guilty.
Nothing – absolutely nothing has been printed to indicate that this man is a danger to your safety. If you read the court case listings there are dozens picked up on the same charge. No one appears angered that in many cases the accused plead guilty, pay a fine, or, even receive a suspended sentence. Within weeks they are back on the streets and highways.
However, that seems to be a different story.
I would have no problem with him being pulled over at 230am driving his own car shattered. Then it would be just a mistake. The fact that he is a detective on the clOck, checking up on who knows is the problem I have. He’s paid to “protect and serve” not drink. He should be like a normal person and drink after his shift. He simply wasn’t doing his job. He made a horrible choice, yes a few drinks, but a man in his position has no room for a lapse in judgement. If it’s a class d misdemeanor that judge should give him a year and 5 g fine. I really hope the court looks at this mans actions as major disrespect, because that is what it is.
You appear to have more information about this incident than the BDN and the County Attorney.
Regardless of all allegations, contempt, and other blistering comments, this man is still entitled to a fair hearing. He’s already been docked with no pay.
It’s not for citizens to judge and decide what penalties should be rendered in this case, or, any other case, where hearings are pending.
Let judge or jury decide this man’s guilt, or innocence. As “outrageous” as some have classified this man’s behavior none of you seem the least bit outraged at the dozens who face judges throughout the state each week on similar charges.
Charges dismissed, suspended, or, small fines levied, do not affect readers as much as this one police officer, who hasn’t even been arraigned in court.
Wait for the verdict.
No I only stated what I read. When you become a police officer you at that point become someone with a higher moral code, even if you don’t want it. The last thing Bangor needs is cops who don’t follow the rules. I wish the max on him but hope he learns from his mistake and isn’t harmed.
I have a problem with people driving drunk, period. If you are going to drink, stay home or call a cab.
Fact: he was 0.13
He knows better than most, since he’s arrested many. many people who were less drunk than himself.
A warning!? J.H.C. almighty, he’s been warning and arresting people for over a decade wasn’t he listening to himself? Hasn’t he gone to schools and told kids not to do it it?
You would think that’s the way it should work because that’s what makes the most sense, but ironically – as this instance shows – it doesn’t always work that way. We can hold people to a higher standard til the cows come home – which is fine – but be prepared to be shocked and disappointed from time to time.
He slipped did a bad, thats fair enough but no one else gets a warning, why should he. Isn’t learning by your mistakes the best fix since no one listens to warnings? We can’t let the cop off with a pitty pat on the bum, unless we let everyone go on the first bust. Everyone will push the card if we did that.
My parents still work despite they are 80, my father has to drive past 3 bars on his way home at bar closing time and drunks spilling out in the street knowing they will only get a slap on the hand doesn’t sit well with my heart.
All the posters who think he should get a warning would not feel that way if one of their family got hurt by him and they dang well know it, they’d want him hung and skun at Pickering Square. Such double standards.
Chris reid has it right, he was on the job, had a loaded gun.
I hope you didn’t misunderstand my response. You don’t have to convince me. I agree with you 100%. That wasn’t the point I was making in my post.
I didn’t miss understand, you are telling it just like it is, sadly. I responded with the hopes the more drifts dropped the better.
Why would you need a warning for driving drunk while on the job? Driving drunk while on the job is very serious business.
Let’s Hope he doesn’t read these posts.
I can empathize with the fact that his job was probably particularly discouraging and stressful. However, that does not excuse this serious lapse in judgement. He put his life at risk and that of everyone else on the same roads he was on. Police officers are only human, as someone pointed out regarding the previous article on this incident. However, they of all people know the dangers of drinking and driving, and there is no excuse for this.
Most people are commenting on the fact that Tall was “driving” under the influence, and he was “on duty”, but no one is mentioning the fact that because he was on duty, he was carrying a loaded gun, while under the influence. I don’t know the man at all…..just saying.
Yup, they are suppose to be bullet proof, superman and see ungodly horrific scenes that you cry babies on here couldn’t even imagine and do it all with a smile to your face and slap on the back from his co-workers. Is it wrong YES! It is understandable that he couldn’t reach out for help because he would be blackballed at work and denied promotions in the future and instead he reached for the bottle YES! He needs help and instead of unleashing comments on here would should try understand (not except it). I can not even begin to tell you the people in my Military career (25+years) didn’t and either lost their career or committed suicide because because they felt ashamed they could handle what the civilian side thought they should be able to handle. Lets go easy on him, help him and so that maybe he can learn from this, get help and possible help others with his problem.
When a cop gets caught drunk driving or smoking pot the Department acts like Oh i can’t believe He’s done that.makes it sound’s like cops are saint’s. and we all know that’s not true. the badge Dosen’t make them saint’s or invinceable. But a lot of them think so.
This guy was On The Job…. just got caught this time . What the heck are you talking about ???
I did not say he should not be punished . He did the crime he should do the time. That being said I personally know of more than one cop who got away . Maybe it was years ago . he did not kill anyone it dose not mean he is a bad guy. Just a stupid thing to do. I have had an OUI myself. I was guilty . What really got me is why the police had to twist details around in court to find me guilty . Too me perjury is a much more serious offence . Innocent people do go to jail . Covering for a child molester is much more serious too . Seem many people and police also did this no one was punished. As in the Carlson case. DA Almy no punishment Well he could still charge them sentence them to no punishment but put the names in the paper make an example. Sorry Mr. Tall they want to hang you. I just want to see done what is fair. Let the punishment fix the crime. No more comments on this subject from me.
The district attorney can’t sentence anybody. Nor can he make up laws to charge people with breaking.
Law is already on the books sentence guidelines are not. DA, decides every say who not to prosecute . You tell police you refuse to tke the matter to court he would not get a summons trust me . Look At Ron Harrington in the Lawrence case . Innocent man ruined by ALMY .
I agree to a point, but with Cops involved the Atty General MAY press charges if the DA does not.
Well, dont he look like a nice fella.
YOU don’t know him if you could say that. He is one of the nicest people with a badge or without one! Furthermore, my opinion of running this on the front page for 2 days is ridiculous and indecent. He has family members and people who care about him. There are stories out there not being written about that are far worse. But I guess when you have writers who make up stuff about the Gov. and his private meetings and get away with it you can pretty much smear a good man for days too.
well that’s all good but this photo makes him look like a very angry man. It is what it is.
I am pretty sure that is a photo of some incident that has been cropped to only show the detective.
This does reek of politics. Maybe someone needs to make a name by doing this, or making an example of this man.
He was ON THE JOB WITH A LOADED GUN when he was arrested… read the story before you start with your usual uninformed opinion
Was Detective Tall just trying to keep that alcohol out of the hands of some minors? Was he getting ready to calibrate the Breathalyzer? We’ll have to assign Detective Tall to investigate this case.
I am going to get alot of crap for saying this but the guy is only human. I also want to say that it must have been really hard for other officers to arrest their own. Unless you are in the shoes of a police officer in Bangor, how can people judge them? The robberies at pharmacies,the murders in town,people on bath salts. He is probably under alot of stress and pressure to solve all these crimes. Should he have been drinking while on the job? NO Does he need some therapy? YES ! IMO,.08 is like having a few drinks at dinner and that person depending on weight isn’t close to being drunk and a .13 depending on weight isn’t falling down drunk drooling and sluring his words. Good luck to you Detective and thanks for all you do!
If he couldn’t handle the stress then he needs to find another job. We aren’t paying him to drink on the job. Oh wait, yes we were.
Actually we don’t know if he was drinking on the job or arrived under the influence from home.
Does it matter?
Does it matter?
Well let’s see.
One would be showing up for work under the influence and the other would mean he was drinking on the job. Yes IMHO it does matter.
If he was “On duty” as reported in the article, he has a problem. Whether he came from home or the office- he was On duty.
Never said he didn’t have a problem dex. What I said was IMHO there is a difference between showing up for work under the influence and drinking while on the job. Neither is good but one is far worse then the other.
I agree my Juris Doctorate friend. Drinking on duty is a worse scenario- Either way, it’s not good.
Drunk is drunk, period.
If you cannot see the important difference (and problem) between arriving drunk for work and arriving sober for work and then drinking to the point of drunkenness I am sorry. But the difference is huge and very troubling.
People see what they want to see, when it validates what they believe or want to believe. All of us do. You can type till your knuckles are blue and they will not see it.
Have you ever got really drunk the night before and gone to bed for 3 or 4 hrs then got and went to work??? If so I rest my case.
Actually I haven’t. And if it was 8 in the morning I might consider your point- but it wasn’t. It was 6:30 PM. I don’t know this Detective nor do I know his shift, but my understanding of police departments is there is at the very least a fit for duty policy. If he is on the clock, he should be sober- especially if he operates a vehicle and carries a gun.
Why does it matter? If he came in under the influence, he should have known better. If he was drinking on the job, he should have known better. Both scenarios probably required him to operate a motor vehicle and carry a weapon. It is a proven fact that alcohol depresses inhibitions, cops see it all the time. It is that reduction that causes us to make some very poor decisions, like thinking we can drive when we should know better. I would suspect that it would make it more likely he could or would use his service weapon inappropriately as well.
I have always respected your opinions and in most cases I agree with you, so I am really just seeking to understand why you feel it would make a difference.
What the H does that question mean? Of course it mattters, those are two different factors.
Does it matter? Hmmmmm. Let’s see if you or I leave a bar and get arrested for OUI or we are actually drinking in our car while driving and get stopped for an OUI…..think one OUI out weighs the other…….Ummmmm No, not so much. An OUI is an OUI is an OUI.
Bangor police detective on unpaid leave pending investigation into alleged on-the-job OUI – http://bangor-launch.newspackstaging.com/2012/10/11/news/bangor/bangor-police-detective-on-unpaid-leave-pending-investigation-into-alleged-on-the-job-oui/
….
.13 is 5-7 drinks… on the job even, not the person I want protecting children from 200 sex offenders.
Was he “on the job?”
“Bangor police detective on unpaid leave pending investigation into alleged on-the-job OUI “http://bangor-launch.newspackstaging.com/2012/10/11/news/bangor/bangor-police-detective-on-unpaid-leave-pending-investigation-into-alleged-on-the-job-oui/
Kool I am aware of the article. It doesn’t change my post. He could have arrived to work OUI or he could have been drinking while on duty. Neither is something I approve of but we don’t know all the facts.
If he arrived OUI that is one thing. If he arrived sober and then consumed enough alcohol while patrolling to blow a 0.13 BAC that is something completely different.
He shouldn’t be the only one protecting our children from 200 sex offenders – he should have more help. I couldn’t do his job, because I’d be in jail for murder. Reading AGAIN about another child, Jessica Ridgeway, makes me want to be a vigilante. Keeping tabs on a few, but 200? That is too many pedophiles to track for one person. I don’t agree that he was drunk on the job, but I certainly think he deserves the chance to fix the problem and keep his job. At this moment, I guess no one is watching the 200 pedophiles – as it seems the dept is cut back for budget sake, and could only put one man on the job.
I agree there should be more staff on it, but it’s still not an excuse to drive wasted, on the job… being an EMT is stressful, so is being a cashier, councilor and a million other jobs.. not a valid excuse for illegal, reckless behavior that puts other people in danger.
I think he should have been offered the option of going for treatment, whether he thinks he needs it or not. I think the same option should be given to every other person who is arrested for OUI. I believe there should be mandatory treatment for a second offense and beyond. I know you cannot force people to get help, but if they are in a mandated situation, they might begin to see that they have a problem with their drinking, if in fact they do. I am not saying Det. Tall does, I don’t know the man. I would recommend that he attend a few AA meetings and just see if he hears his own story there.
As a doctor/ psychiatrist how were you able to determine that this person requires psychological, or, even rehabilitation, based simply on a news report?
Amazing.
Because he was at work with a BAC of .13. Most people would be careful not to drink if they have to drive and/or work.
And I did state that ” I am not saying Det. Tall does, I don’t know the man.”
I am just saying it might be worth it for him to consider given the gravity of this error. I also think that every person, i.e. the average citizen, be given the same opportunities.
Cops judge people all the time, based on their age, clothing, race, the time of day, the day of the week, the kind of car they’re driving… They are judge, jury and executioner all rolled into one.
They feel no compunctions about ruining people’s lives based on a hunch, or because they don’t like the look in your eye. They lie about evidence in court all the time, every lawyer knows this, and only rarely are they called on it.
So no, I don’t agree. I find your justification of his drunk driving to be foolish and naive. They’re not going to give you a break, when they pull you over, and you blow a 1.3, no matter how much you weigh, or how much stress you have in your life, or if you are a veteran, regardless of what you say here on this website. And they shouldn’t! So don’t kid yourself about it.
It appears to me you are the one who is kidding yourself. Could you provide some facts about them lying all the time in court, could you tell us who those lawyers are that know this and perhaps more importantly how you know these things. Eric Tall deserves what he gets in a court of law and then from his department (double punishment by the way), what nobody needs is ranting and raving about facts from people like you.
Police use “pretexts” to warrant stopping and searching people all the time. Not all of them, but it is fairly commonplace. I find it hard to believe anyone doesn’t understand this.
Your comments, your 10 or 20 supporters, and the rest of those condemning this officer and the Bangor Police Department are ridiculous.
The judge/jury/executioner allegation is more fittingly worn by you.
Well, my comment was addressed to someone who was basically saying, even if the guy DID what he is accused of, it’s no big deal, and since he is a cop, he should be excused, because they have a lot of stress in their lives, and probably he was fat anyway, and fat people can’t get drunk. I know a lot of people admire cops, and some cops are decent people, probably most of them. But pardon me if I don’t think they should be allowed to actually break laws flagrantly and not have to take responsibility for it. The person’s post that I was responding to was actually so silly that I thought it might be a prank at first.
You seem to not understand what the blood alcohol numbers mean. .13 is the same level of alcohol in your blood no matter what you weigh and it means youve had WAY more than just a few beers! Its true that habitual drunks can tolerate higher levels but agsin, thats not dependent on weight either. Greater weight just means it takes you more drinks to reach a certain blood alcohol level but once you get to a given level, youre just as drunk as anyone else at that level.
Lots of people have very stressful jobs or personal situations, but that is never an excuse for endangering others by getting behind the wheel when they are drunk. Its not 1960 anymore and we shouldnt have to put up with this, from anybody.
Since almost every one condemns, I feel it necessary to question some of these unqualified accusations and assumptions.
“We shouldn’t have to put up with this…” What is it that you shouldn’t have to Put up with?
One man is charged with OUI. He is now on administrative leave. So you shouldn’t have to put up with anything.
Administrative leave just means he doesnt have to go to work for awhile and does nothing towards keeping him from endangering more lives in another automobile. Anyone who has somehow missed out on getting the message that drunk driving (ever!) is NOT cool needs to lose their license and ride a bike for about 5 years. Maybe that would get through to them.
You may be over-complicating this by suggesting that this cop was drunk at work because he’s stressed. It’s also possible, that just like anyone else with a drinking problem, the guys drinking was starting to interfere with his job.
I known of people with 3.8 no jail time no fine no car gone to juck yard
I hope you don’t know many 3.8-ers. Virginia Tech/Federal Aviation Regs describe greater than 0.50 as “high risk of poisoning, possibility of death.”
I saw a .576 once. The guy walked into the ER. Spend some time in an emergency department and you will soon realize that .50 or higher is not rare and .40 is quite common
If you knew someone with a BAC of 3.8 they would be in the grave.
In medical lingo, a 3.8 is .380 in the terminology being used here. For a very seasoned alcoholic, that is not that high. I used to work at Tufts New England Medical Center ER and for some of the homeless men from a nearby shelter a 3.8 was nothing. Most of them were all over 6.0 or .600. Many of those could walk, talk, and carry on a conversation, or more likely an argument or fight.
And I would agree with you if the person was a habitual alcoholic. But that’s not the case here.
0.30 – 0.39
Changes in Feelings and Personality: Severe Depression, Unconsciousness, Death Possible
Physical and Mental Impairments: Bladder Function, Breathing, Heart Rate
http://www.rochester.edu/uhs/healthtopics/Alcohol/bac.html
For the majority of people out and about walking around a .38 would mean pretty close to death if not death itself.
And after a few years of that, they’d be developing dementia if they didn’t already have it. Sad.
Alcoholism (and addiction in general) is one of the saddest diseases in our society today. Yes, many will develop dementia. For some it will be a blessing, because they will finally escape the demons that torture so many of them. I know of someone who began drinking at the age of 12, after being beaten bloody by his own father, being molested by Catholic clergy and a Scout Master, who tried to kill him when the abuse was coming out. This was all 50 years ago, in another country, whose society and feelings on such things were probably thirty or so years behind our own thinking at that time.
For those who have been drinking for so many years, they develop incredible tolerances to alcohol. The person I reference, had a BAC that probably never got as low as the .13 that Det. Tall had. The disease forced him to keep it higher so as not to suffer withdrawal. This man’s story is not an uncommon one in the halls of AA. In addition to serious liver and digestive problems, if you look at a CT of someone like this man, the brain actually begins to shrink as brain cells die off.
Total agreement. Excellent comment. Here’s a website that shows (about halfway down) a comparison between alcoholic and non-alcoholic brains on MRI–http://neurowiki2012.wikispaces.com/Effects+of+Alcohol+Addiction
.34 Jd knew what I ment thank -you for correcting me .
I did I 3.4 but I was not driving . A social worker friend took me to EMMC . 3.8 can kill you . So glad I do not drink anymore. you build a tolerance . I bet someone who never dank a .05 would be drunk . To a seasoned drunk a .13 would be hard to tell if you were not trained too.
Take a look at this link….you may have been closer to death then you thought.
http://www.rochester.edu/uhs/healthtopics/Alcohol/bac.html
He was on the Job, carrying a loaded weapon… Did you bother to read the story ???
TRY 3.8
His BAC was not 3.8. If it were, he would have been dead. Perhaps you ought to do some fact checking before blindly posting your BS.
I am sick and tired of police officers being put on a pedestal. There is no excuse for what he did. For him to be so desperate that he had to drink on the job, he must have a serious problem with alcohol. They should make an example of him and fire him and take his license and send him to jail. They want to slap his hand. I dont imagine that if you are out in a bar, get pulled over and blow a .13, that you get treated professionally or with respect. Why should he? I hope the humiliation of getting caught is driving him nuts!
geesh, I don”t see much of a pedestal on this comment board, just a trashing board, without knowing the facts, you know….. those details that are true FACTS!!
police officers in general are put on a pedestal. If you get a ticket for something and you go to court and its your word against the officers, who’s the judge going to believe? Not you. Youd be fighting a losing battle. Society feels that because they are an officer of the law, that they can do no wrong. Not true. Bangor has had its fair share of dirty cops.
that is NOT always true. I know of a situation whereby; a citizen took the police office”s testimony down in the court.The citizen won the case!!!I …(NO lawyer was involved) also know of a citizen who was charged/ arrested with an OUI, after being dropped off to his car to sleep it off…had a loaded gun in the glove box!! (had the permit) He won the case!!! the judge actually reprimanded the police officer! and applauded the citizen!!
He will probably be treated the same way the Hancock Co. sheriff’s deputy was treated after he struck a deer traveling 100 mph on Rt. 175 in Blue Hill last spring at 4AM.
They will sweep it under the rug, and he will be allowed to keep his job, and get a new car, “because they spent too much training him to let him go and hire and train someone else, and because it would just be unfair to him, because he’s a good guy”. Not like regular people….
And everyone will forget about it in 6 months, and the BDN will not follow up on it.
You understand that someone that blows a .13 as a first offense and with no aggravating circumstances does not face jail time in Maine don’t you?
guess you will have to email TV 5 News, they just announced, he could face up to 1 yr. plus a fine, and loss of license!!!
Actually this was the quote from WABI “The Penobscot County DA said Tall could be sentenced to a maximum of one
year in jail and a $2,000 fine. The officer will appear in court on
November 14th.”
I would love to know the legal theory he is basing that quote on. Maine’s minimum penalities are found here http://www.maine.gov/dps/bhs/impaired-driving/laws.html and even a four time offender doesn’t face that penalty.
Oh by the way, you do know this is the same DA that claims there is no penalty for Mandated Reporters in Child Abuse and Child Sexual Abuse cases that don’t report their suspicions. My paperwork clearly says that if I do not report suspected cased of Child Abuse and Chile Sexual Abuse case that I am subject to “civil penalties” under Maine Law.
Maybe DA Almy should take remedial MRSA so he actually understands the laws he is charged with enforcing.
not true, I know someone who just got a first offense. 500.00 fine and 48 hours. Probably depends on the circumstances. Considering he was a cop on duty with a gun, he should do time
pit I am sure you do know someone and that someone likely had “aggravating factors” which include:
“a BAC of .15 percent or more, or traveling 30 m.p.h. or more over the
speed limit, or attempting to elude an officer of the law, or having a
passenger under 21 years of age.”
http://www.maine.gov/dps/bhs/impaired-driving/laws.html
No excuse, but dealing with the murderers, dealers, spouse beaters,bath salts users and the rest of the community menu would likely drive many strong people to drink.
hard to believe he got ratted out like that….. I thought fellow officers had each other backs, especially when heavy crimes are being committed everyday in bangor. This city actually needs more detectives.
Not intoxicated ones, driving around putting the rest of our lives in further danger.
ever think by calling him out, they were doing him a favor?
Just to show that drug and alcohol addiction does not discriminate amongst its participants. Hmmm, I wonder how many legal infractions (OUI)on the distributing end. Wonder if he has scoffed at methadone clients and of the like. I hope you get the help you obviously need. Good Luck
Very unfortunate that this has occurred , maybe this will be a wake up call for the Detective. What is even worse is the position he put his fellow officers in to make the decision to arrest and process for DUI. Police are held to a much higher standard but why? we screw up and are only human but it seems the general public wants see a police officer get the worse possible punishment , guilty until proven innocent . If this incident was not the first one for the Detective and has had issues in the past then accept the punishment and get some help. With this being said I’m disappointed that his fellow officers didn’t handle this internally, unfortunately it’s a no win situation for all involved.
Why didn’t the Assistant DA that was charged with OUI a couple of years ago get this much media attention? He is still prosecuting OUI cases, even with a conviction of his own. People make mistakes. Give the man the opportunity to correct his.
This is man who has protected and served for many years. It would seem to me he likely has a drinking problem, but I don’t know him, so I can’t state that definitively. Alcoholism is an illness and the cost to society is beyond dreadful.
If this officer is an alcoholic, then I hope he gets help. There is no shame in being an alcoholic. He got caught in a difficult situation and I think it is being handled as it would if he were any other citizen. I think we need to let him be just a citizen right now. I see no need to beat on a man when the chips are down.
Det Tall, thanks for your service and I wish you well.
Treat him the same way most truck drivers get treated for a 0.13 OUI on the job. A lot of trucking companies have zero tolerance for that because their liability insurance rates would go up a lot if they did otherwise.
A police officer’s training is very different from a trucker’s. Their experience is even more unique and maybe more valuable (to any police department). I realize most truckers see a lot of carnage on our highways, but it our police officers who have to deal with that and other horrors as responders. The type of stress an officer is under is very different from the average job stresses that we know.
I am not saying that Det. Tall has a problem because I don’t know the man. I do hope that if he does have a problem, he gets the help he deserves (as anyone with an addiction problem deserves). If he can get back on the job, then he will be far more sensitive to those who find themselves in trouble, having seen the other side of the coin, and how judgemental and vicious people can be when the chips are down.
In my younger years, I did drive when I should not have, although I never drank on the job. I am glad I realized the error of my ways on my own, and never have to worry about hurting or killing someone while under the influence. I rarely even drink now. I am sure it was by the grace of God, I was never pulled over for OUI. So I cannot cast stones at Det. Tall.
Bad guy? A point 13? That is having a couple of beers. Yes, it isn’t right, he should pay a fine and go through the drill, yes the kid messed up and got caught. So what?
Front page news? Poor guy. I would be drinking after reading about myself on the front page of the largest daily paper in the entire state. So he is a police officer. So if he was a contractor, lawyer or 6 figure business man he doesn’t even make it to the court news section in the weekly? I don’t see this as fair for Mr. Tall at all. He is a man and will pay his cost like the rest of us but it isn’t fair that he be called out because he is a public servant.
Mr. Tall, many of us support you and can appreciate what you are going through. The truth is nobody knows what might be going on in his personal life. Did his mother or father get diagnosed, die or worse that day? Maybe, maybe not but we do not know.
The man has spent over 15 years protecting my safety in Bangor. To me, that’s worth something big time. If it doesn’t with you then I feel sorry for you, not Mr. Eric Tall.
.13 is not a couple of beers.
Example – let’s say he’s 180lbs. 2 beers in one hour equals a BAL of .02
no BAL calculator is 100% accurate due to many factors, but check this out….
http://www.ou.edu/oupd/bac.htm
That calculator is useless, it only goes up to 8 drinks! I can drink a helluva lot more than that.
Also, I don’t trust it. It says if I drink 8 beers in just 3 hours, I’m at a .08. Seems low.
I do believe I pointed out that these calculators are not 100% accurate, but are close. Too many other factors involved, such as height, weight, male, female, metabolism etc….if you have a smart phone, there are also apps out there that you can down load to calculate your BAL – again- not 100% accurate.
my point in posting it, is that .13 is not “just a couple of beers” for a man who is weighing in around 180 lbs (an estimated weight from pic of officer)
A person of any weight can only metabolize one drink per hour so your calculator is totally useless. I used it with a weight of 200 lbs and 8 drinks in 3 hours……only came out to 0.02….So not even close as you point out.
I think everyone should leave this man alone and only those who are perfect should be allowed to point out his faults.
Officer Tall I support you and only hope you can move on while ignoring all these people who want to hang you….probably most feel this way about police officers because of their last ticket they got.
Things that affect BAL (or BAC)
Sex – women are affected more due to smaller size and have more body fat than men
Weight
Food
Drugs – legal or illegal
Menstruation – women who are on their period can be affected quicker than those who are not
Your mood – depression and emotional stress
This is pretty common knowledge and has been drilled into my head for 17 years as a bartender. I also took the state course on alcohol service
I did the calculator – 8 – 12oz beers (the first beer listed is a low alc. content beer, so be sure to change the type of alcohol in the pop down menu) for a 200lb person, in 3 hours came out to be .11 BAL –
Edited to add:
I’ve never had a ticket, and I’ve been driving for many, many years. I have however had loved ones killed by drunk drivers – and keep in mind while this officer was intoxicated, he was probably carrying a gun.
As a lady under 150 lbs I blew a .137….after 8-10 drinks over an evening…..I was stupid and I will not ever drink and drive again….but if it took me 8-10 drinks to blow a .137 how many drinks would it take a man? More than a “couple” don’t you think?
Thank you for owning up to a bad decision and learning from your mistake. Takes a lot for a person such as yourself to do so.
For a person such as yourself?
Man, I can never get over how pompous you are. Your nose must smell like God’s rear-end, as high in the air as it is.
There is no god.
Most stop being a lady at 0.08
ok…that was funy…LOL
and many gentlemen stop being gentlemen at .08 too….just to be fair ;)
so, because he has problems in his family life, he can put other peoples lives at risk? I think not! There is no excuse for what he did. Lock him up and throw away the key
Great points! I agree!
http://www.aele.org/law/2007FPMAY/fbi-1995-02.pdf this is a study of mostly Police Suicides but it kind of gives a good idea of what cops face. Yes, they are expected to be the best of the best and uphold the law, but…sometimes those expectations with other stressors get the best of them over time. I agree he needs help and face what has happened. I hope that he can rise above this and get the help he needs to proceed with a sober life and keep his job.
Well said.
If he lived in a different part of the State the Police would have not released his name due to the harm it may have on his rep.
Oh please push….Two Maine Troopers, one for the County and one from Southern Maine have both been arrested and charged with OUI. What part of Maine are you talking about?
Did any of you actually read the whole article before bashing this guy?…..”keeping tabs on 200 registered sex offenders” do you realize that you have to know what these people did and you have to talk to them? Most offenders on the list did not just pat some woman on the butt, most are child molesters. I cannot imagine having that job for 3 freaking years and not hurting one of them…..this particular job should not be handled by one person long term. So before you judge a man for doing something wrong, think where his head might be when he is doing it. Don’t judge, because the next guy stuck with that job will drink too. And so would I if I had it.
Hey do you think he was the first one to be intoxicated at work. Good Luck Eric..
Good cop, bad cop. I say bad cop, fire him, let him take his valuable work ethic to the public sector.
This was very possibly a cry for help within a career where police are suspected by socierty, themselves, and peers, to be ‘super human’.
Police (Bangor PD lately specifically having many serious cases) deal with horrific horrific situations that are at times defy human nature.. of what another human being could do.
Among several other investigations recently, Det. Tall handles the sex offender registry. Cases of rape, sexual assault against adults AND children. Knowing the case records of unfathomable crimes to the rest of us can’t imagine.
Though I do not know the detective, and definately think what he did was very wrong and dangerous and makes other officers look bad, I do know people in these careers sometimes get too pounded by man’s inhumanity to man. When one of their own goes ‘bad’, often the peer support disappears at a time it’s most needed.
I hope that Det. Tall is involved with human resourses for support & counseling as well as support from family, church, and his supervisors and peers. He’s worked hard for our community and must be feeling very desperate and humiliated right now.
Let those in charge make the legal and professional decisions. The rest of us need to back off from judgemental comments and slams. He did a very wrong thing, but you’ve never walkedin his shoes.
drinking and driving on duty? – adios
Strange at my job, not as a law enforcement officer, there is a drug and alcohol policy that states. “The presence of any detectable amount of prohibited substances in the employee’s
system while at work, while on the premises of the company or its customers, or
while on company business. “Prohibited substances” include illegal drugs,
alcohol, or prescription drugs not taken in accordance with a prescription given
to the employee. Is grounds for immediate termination.” but yet.. Law enforcement officers, are allowed to work while under the influence, and its perfectly okay.. thats strange.. very strange..
If it were “allowed” and “perfectly OK” he wouldn’t have been charged and on un-paid leave.
Whatever happened to the female trooper from Houlton’s F Troop who showed up intoxicated to work about 6-8 months ago? Wasn’t she close to retirement?
Found in the above article:
“Sgt. Julie Bergan, 54, who works out of the Houlton barracks, was charged after she reported for work in her state police-issued cruiser and her supervisor, Lt. Mark Brooks, and several co-workers saw her behaving in what they believed to be an erratic manner. She was given and failed field sobriety and blood-alcohol content tests, state police Lt. Col. Raymond Bessette said after the charges were filed.
Her attorney entered a not guilty plea on her behalf in August. Bergan was placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an internal investigation conducted by Lt. Erik Baker, who heads the Internal Affairs Division at state police headquarters in Augusta,
Bessette said.”
Thanx. That wasn’t in the first version of this story.. I did some looking around for info then later came back with my question w/o rereading the article……
I hope he gets the same sentence as any lay person….90 day licence suspension and Deep….
If this was his first time doing this then maybe a little vacation to help him get drinking understood. But he should not have been driving a city car.
GREAT ! Missed my chance… I wanted to pull him over!
BDN, Is this the best picture of the detective you could find? This was clearly a historical photo where he appeared to be thinking about an answer he was going to give regarding a totally different case. Please correct me if I’m wrong.
BDN has previously reported that he has been protecting our city for the last 15 years? I realize the facts are crappy here, but your paper has reported on him getting in foot chases off-duty and while in flip-flops and apprehending the bad guy and other great cases where he has protected Bangor. Way to give some good reporting to those who routinely feed you information any time YOU want it (sarcasm, in case you didn’t detect it).
Not Mr. ATF ..say it is not true.. Was he carrying a concealed weapon? If he was, drunken driving should not be his only charge! I WOULD TRUST THAT ZERO TOLERANCE IS A LAW TO CARRY A CONCEALED WEAPON! Would Mr. Tall been charged if his BAL was <0.08? If other charges are not brought by BPD,doesn't that send a message that "buzzed"driving is OKAY! (for on-duty officers)
…and how many times had this occured before his cohorts HAD to blow the whistle.
Bet if personnel files were opened, we’d see a long list of “corrective measures” before this scene.
Thank you Lt. Mark Hathaway! It’s nice to know that this wasn’t covered up by his fellow cops.
You’ll notice the Bangor PD did absolutely nothing until prodded by citizen complaints. Five will get you ten that this has been going on for years.
.
Cover up and corruption – pick a badge number.
I think it’s great the PD isn’t trying to “protect their own” on this one. Every investigation this officer authored should be re-investigated. I, have a reasonable doubt concerning the accuracy of any prisoner investigated and/or reported by an intoxicated officer.
I kinda hope this officer is a Mason so he can be stripped of his ring as well. Maybe that’s why he’s not being protected by his brothers? Could it be he’s not in the click?
He made a big mistake and thankfully kiiled nobody or himself. I hope he recieves the proper punishment and or treatment and resumes his life and carrier. he may have just finished a drink is why he “blew such a high limit” BUT regardless he should know better and is lucky to have been arrested rather than hurt someone. But hopefully he can resume his job and carrier with time and proper help. To those who want to “hang this man”…forget it, it is not nor should it happen.
Every time one of our public servants shows he has a problem..or not…he gets crucified. I don’t want to make excuses for getting behind the wheel and driving while drinking… that is wrong and a danger to society.. i will say this man has some issues he needs to deal with. If he is willing to get proper treatment and take responsibility for his obvious mistake.. then we should stand behind him and hope that others will do the same. He is a power of example to all watching him… not a whipping post. We should be building a healthy community “one recovery at a time” !
do you think a zero tolerance policy for armed public servants is excessive?
People can be quick to pass final judgement on any issue today without knowing all–or any–of the facts. Americans can be like “the old lady next door that feeds on what she can glimpse through her window as she stands behind the curtain”. Some seem to get a kick out of tearing people down even while hiding behind “nicknames” on this very site–perhaps it is because their own lives are in such a mess. I do not know anymore than most people if this man has had a past history of problem drinking, if he has been counseled on it before, what is going on in his life, or the facts of what occurred in this case. He should have disciplinary action taken the same way it is with any other person who holds a position of public trust, and this normally would range from ordered treatment up to termination, but whatever it is should be based on the facts. His reputation will already be in shambles with the help of people’s armchair quarterbacking and perhaps his ability to effectively do his job in the future will be compromised, but those who already have “decided” he has to go and be subjected to the carousel of “public shaming” should spend time looking at themselves and their family members first. I am quite sure they would find plenty to feed on right there…:)
It is sad to find out that another of our Officers is human, just like the rest of us. Especially considering the lofty job he had, keeping track of the disgusting perverts that the City of Bangor welcomes so freely into our community. I hope, after the COURT, (not the people with too much time on their hands and run their mouths), has handed down their appropriate ruling, that BPD takes him back. I will sleep better and worry a lot less about my ten year old when I know he is keeping an eye on the predators.
duplicated message
Conlow crossed a line in her description of the 1987 event. Every life long Bangor resident knows who she is talking about. Heck, my 15 year old son recognized the individual so much information was given. I pray that she cleared it with him prior to discussing his very personal battle and recovery in a public forum. He is a decent man, provided decades of law enforcement service to his community and after 25 years of sobriety and continued community service doesn’t deserve to have his battle with this disease waved before all who know and respect him by a carpetbagger city manager.
The comment above should be clarified as a response to the print edition of this article in todays BDN
Two successive days on Page One?
We know there have been “other” law enforcement officers “charged” and disciplined for OUI. Just can’t remember them having their names and cases plastered on Page One even once.
Hard to understand why this particular officer is being headlined two days in a row for OUI. He didn’t kill or injure anyone. He didn’t leave the scene of an accident. He did not resist arrest.
Being charged that he allegedly was Operating while Under the Influence, has yet to be proved. So what is the big deal?
In this week’s Mid-Week more people were either imprisoned and jailed than in any of your more recent court listings. That’s how important this news was evaluated. It came out in nothing more than simple one paragraph listings.
The fact that the entire work force at an Illinois auto parts factory was fired and replaced with Chinese laborers didn’t quite make it as news. Neither did the fact that the Chinese flag was raised above the building and the American flag lowered.
Tall is a good man who made a mistake . No story here move along people
Why are you telling everyone else to “move along”, when you’ve already commented 8 times on today’s story yourself? If you don’t like other people’s comments – don’t read them. I don’t know if Tall is a good man or not, but it’s certainly more than a mere “mistake” when someone is in possession of a loaded gun while under the influence, especially if he’s around other people.
“Fellow police officers went to check on him.”
“Lt. Mark Hathaway, the city’s interim police chief, charged Tall with operating under the influence, Almy said.”
Shouldn’t officers from another agency (Penobscot County Sheriff or Maine State Police) have responded to this call and charged Mr. Tall?
Having his coworkers do it just screams of a conflict of interest.
Don’t most people who get caught drinking and driving get arrested?
NO
Yeah, DA says it was 0.13 , I’m gonna guess it was a lot closer to 0.20
why does some think it is so much better, when a police officer gets arrested for drunk driving he knew the law and what does he think of this mess he made and how many people would say it was job related. not me he should face the same charges.
was gonna post this the other day…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3MJYF6S4zQ
Impressive that it only took you a couple days to come up with that. They don’t get much sharper than you.