CLEVELAND (WJW) -- The FOX 8 I-TEAM has obtained exclusive video showing a Cleveland Police supervisor suspected of driving drunk getting a huge break instead of getting arrested.
Christmas night, Twinsburg Police received a call from a citizen about a driver in a pick-up truck “going across lanes” on I-480.
Twinsburg officers found the truck pulled off to the side of the highway, and they say the man behind the wheel was a Cleveland Police Captain carrying his service gun, loaded.
Police body camera video shows the driver deny that he was at a party and claim he was “not sure” why he was pulled over.
A Twinsburg officer can be heard saying, “Well, there’s smell of alcohol in your car. You’re driving with alcohol in your system with a gun on your hip.”
The officers challenge the captain behind the wheel, saying he gave vague and even conflicting answers to questions.
But police video does not show the Twinsburg officers giving any drunk driving tests. They don’t take the driver to jail. Instead, they go out of their way to get him a ride home.
One asks, “You got somebody who can come pick you up?”
The officers allow the captain to call his wife.
They did take his gun and called Cleveland police to come and get it.
On one phone call, a Twinsburg officer can be heard saying, “It’s clearly that he’s highly intoxicated. And he’s carrying a service weapon on him.” She adds, “We are giving him a courtesy and allowing his wife to pick him up and take him home.”
The I-TEAM has confirmed that the Cleveland Police Captain behind the wheel that night was the acting Fourth District Commander. In other words, he was the on-call manager for that particular police district; an acting commander might have to make quick decisions about handling major incidents.
We went to see the captain. He had another officer tell us he had no comment for this story.
FOX 8 is not identifying the captain since he has not been charged.
Meanwhile, Cleveland police are conducting an internal review of this incident.
Twinsburg Police officials also say, “An internal review will be conducted into the incident to determine if TPD (Twinsburg Police Department) policies were followed."
The end of the video shows the captain saying to the Twinsburg officers, “I’m just trying to understand what I’m being charged with.”
And one responds with, “You’re not being charged. We’re trying to release you. You need to get in the car now and go.”