Whether you believe it deserved or not, one must concede the Aliquippa Police Department has at times had a reputation of being less than a venerable institution. Rumors of corruption have been on rare occasion sufficiently proved, as in the recent gun theft conviction of former Aliquippa Officer John Martin. But following a Chief’s retirement and new promotions within the department, came an opportunity to start changing public perception — An opportunity which was squandered within weeks.
Nearly one full year after local basketball star Herbert L. Pope Jr. allegedly played a drunken game of bumper-cars through the streets of Beaver County, Aliquippa Police finally took action against him. Pope was charged with DUI, Driving on a Suspended License, Driving Without a License, Reckless Driving, Failure to Stop at the Scene of an Accident, and Failure to Notify the Police of an Accident.
A police report said Pope’s heavily damaged truck was smoking and leaking fluids when it was pulled over. An officer said he could smell alcohol on Pope, who appeared to be intoxicated and refused to take a blood test. This was not a new experience for Pope, who had previously been charged with DUI by police in Allegheny County.
But just over a week ago, within the walls of the Beaver County Courthouse, all of the charges with an exception of two summary traffic citations were dismissed. Not dismissed as in Pope agreed to an appropriate plea bargain, or there wasn’t enough evidence to support the accusations… no, not that kind of dismissed.
Charges against the NBA prospect having already been filed by a rogue officer with integrity, meant Aliquippa Police couldn’t perpetrate this apparent injustice without help — Help which they found in the Beaver County District Attorney’s Office. Like a bobble headed army of lemmings, the organization responsible for prosecuting Pope agreeingly moved to dismiss the charges in court — The public’s confidence in their commitment to blindly administer justice thrown out along with the case.
Two innocent people from Beaver County have been killed so far this summer by other individuals who police allege were driving drunk. But the message sent from this incident is clear, DUI is no serious offense in Beaver County… at least not if you can play a decent game of hoops.
Let there be no doubt, Lady Justice was peeking when she dropped the ball on this one.
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