A Dallas Police Department officer found himself on the wrong side of the law after being nabbed for public intoxication in Little Elm. Officer Frank Johnson, who joined the force in November 2013, was reportedly arrested while off-duty on Saturday, according to FOX 4 News.
Following the incident, the department confirmed that Johnson is currently on administrative leave as an internal affairs investigation takes its course. An alleged slip in conduct, the Dallas Police Department is yet to reveal the specific details surrounding Johnson’s arrest. In a news release cited by WFAA, the department announced the arrest Sunday morning but kept tight-lipped on the finer points of the incident.
Johnson, who serves in the southeast patrol division, has spent over a decade with the Dallas Police, establishing a career in law enforcement that has now hit a rocky patch with this recent misdemeanor. Public intoxication is not the most heinous of charges, but the arrest of a law enforcement officer for such behavior underscores the ongoing issue of those who enforce the law finding themselves on its fringes.
The Dallas PD’s choice to put Johnson on leave suggests a measure of gravity to the situation. It is routine for officers to be distanced from their duties during internal investigations, ensuring that an air of fairness and proper procedure is observed. Details of Johnson’s conduct on the night of his arrest remain sparse, but the fact remains that an off-duty officer fell into a public spectacle, rendering the arm of the law momentarily limp. The police department's handling of the matter may yet speak volumes about their commitment to accountability within their ranks.
