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opinion editorialsThis editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by editorial page staff and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers
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Wednesday, July 01, 2009
Hey County, a DWI Isn't Résumé Material
Did you hear the one about the guy who was popped for DWI and blew double-drunk on the Breathalyzer? He was promoted to run Bernalillo County's detox program.
It's really not that funny.
But it appears county officials aren't joking. Clinical manager Carl Dallas Broach is being considered to head up substance-abuse programs at the jail's Metropolitan Assessment and Treatment Services. Deputy County Manager John Dantis says he knows about Broach's December DWI arrest but says Broach is well-credentialed and “you have to look at the individual and the totality of the circumstances.”
Let's. In the totality of these circumstances, taxpayers employ Broach to oversee substance-abuse case managers and provide minor medical care, counseling and other services to recovering alcoholics and drug abusers. He speaks before the county's DWI Planning Council, which works with other agencies to combat drunken driving. Police say he drove the wrong way down a one-way street, hit a curb, performed poorly on field sobriety tests, admitted to downing three beers and blew “at or above twice the legal limit” of 0.08 percent. In Dantis-world that might make Broach well-credentialed to get a promotion to run the whole substance-abuse department.
In most rational minds, it makes him a person who needs to work on his own substance issues before attempting to treat others.
It's true that some of the best substance-abuse counselors know of what they speak; they've been there and done that, they own their mistakes.
But Broach's actions aren't in the past tense yet. He's pleaded not guilty; his case is set for trial in Metropolitan Court next month. His attorney says he will beat the rap. It doesn't take the wheels of justice to figure out how this should turn out back at county headquarters.
The county has worked long and hard and poured millions of dollars into creating a state-of-the-art detox program. Officials know that helping people get and stay sober isn't a laughing matter.
Neither is promoting someone whose irresponsible actions make that whole process a joke.
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