The recent DWI case involving a New Jersey police officer arrested for driving drunk at break-neck speeds in a 25-mph zone is difficult to imagine, but it did happen. The intoxicated cop, Jersey City Police Officer Kevin Cieslak, has only been on the force for two years. Regardless of the circumstances, his actions are totally unacceptable.
Officer Cieslak was arrested in Belmar on Memorial Day by the New Jersey State Police around 2 a.m., according to reports. An officer from the East District, Cieslak allegedly collided with a bread truck, after which he reportedly left the scene. He was subsequently observed driving 89 miles per hour in a 25-mph zone before being pulled over by State Police. According to police, he was issued summonses for DWI after refusing a Breathalyzer test, as well as for reckless driving, leaving and accident scene, failing to report an accident, running a red light and driving in the opposing lane.
We should all be proud, and rightly so, of the hard work that our law enforcement officers do for society, but when they step over the line and break the same laws they are entrusted to enforce there should be no leniency. These are the same individuals that make judgments on whether to stop other citizens for driving while intoxicated. They, of all people, need to set an example for the rest of the us — there is no middle ground here.
According to news reports, Cieslak’s brother, a former Jersey City Police Officer, was fired in October 2007 after pleading guilty to official misconduct for playing cards with friends who were smoking pot and not reporting the unlawful activity, officials said. The card game was at the home of a drug dealer who was on probation, officials said, adding that police found marijuana and a gun in the apartment.
As a New Jersey DWI Defense Attorney, my firm provides an aggressive defense for clients accused of drunk driving offenses. Regardless of the charges, you deserve to be represented by a skilled legal professional who knows the law and understands the workings of our legal system. As a former prosecutor myself, I have these qualifications.
All of our lawyers at The Law Offices of John F. Marshal have gone through extensive training on the operation of the Alcotest breath testing device. Every one of our attorneys also knows the procedures included in the standardized field sobriety tests established by the Nation Highway Safety Administration. This puts our firm head and shoulders above most New Jersey law firms, the majority of which cannot make such a claim for their attorneys.
2 Cops Busted, NJ.com, May 26, 2009