TX Cop Drunk Driving with Children gets taxpayer PAID Leave following arrest in Beaumont

So a cop in southeast Texas gets arrested for being wasted and driving with small children in the back seat. What is his punishment? The Beaumont Police Department gives the guy a paid leave. In other words, the drunk driving cop gets a paid vacation that taxpayers are funding. Doesn't sound like much of a punishment does it? If you are going to pay the guy at least don't completely take send him home. Take his badge and take him off the streets but make him clean toilets or something instead of him getting a paid vacation.

from the Beaumont Enterprise:

A Beaumont police officer is on paid leave after being arrested on a felony charge of driving while intoxicated.

Sgt. Chuck Havard, with the Texas Department of Public Safety, said officer Richard Rovera was stopped by a state trooper June 15 around 7 p.m. at the intersection of Jade Avenue and 60th Street. Rovera had three minors under the age of 15 with him in the vehicle.

The trooper performed a field sobriety test, and Rovera was taken into custody and booked into the Jefferson County Jail.

Havard said the Department of Public Safety was not releasing any additional information about the arrest as of Tuesday.

Beaumont Police Department spokesman Sgt.Rob Flores said his department was contacted about the arrest, and the decision was made to put Rovera on paid administrative leave.

Flores said the department is not issuing any more information about the case until a grand jury makes a determination.

According to Jefferson County Jail records, Rovera was released June 16 after posting a $10,000 bond.

Under the Texas Penal Code, driving while intoxicated with a child passenger is a state jail felony punishable by between 180 day and two years incarceration and a fine not to exceed $10,000.

TMonzingo@BeaumontEnterprise.com

Twitter.com/thmonzingo