A state board has revoked the certification of former Tempe Officer David French, a retired Marine gunnery sergeant who had served five combat tours and was said to be suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome.
French, 41, fled from Surprise police after a chase last July and was subsequently charged in absentia with Unlawful Flight from a Law Enforcement Vehicle, a felony. French, a 20-year Marine veteran who was in the midst of a divorce, led a squad in a deadly battle of Fallujah, Iraq, according to reports.
He is believed to have left Arizona.
By revoking French's certification, the Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board last week banned him from ever serving as a police officer in Arizona again.
French's wife recently told police her husband had been drinking heavily, was suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome and was armed with two guns.
On April 24 2010, French resigned from the Tempe Police Department in lieu of termination after he reported to duty after drinking.
The report says that French had a heavy smell of alcohol on his breath on April 22, 2010. A civilian employee reported it, and Sgt. Mike Carleton also smelled the alcohol.
French told Carleton he had been "drinking heavily" after his previous shift ended. A breath test administered to French registered at .038. Any alcohol in an on-duty officer's system is prohibited.
He had also failed to report to work one day in January 2010 without contacting the department, AZPOST report says. French later told authorities he was "engrossed in resolving marital difficulties" that day.
On July 1, French fled from Surprise police after they tried to pull him over for erratic driving, the report says. French sped up and cut off cars and drove into traffic, the report says.
A Surprise officer estimated French was traveling 60 miles per hour in a residential neighborhood.
Attempts to find French have not been successful.
http://www.azcentral.com/community/tempe/articles/2011/05/23/20110523tempe-police-officer-certification-revoked0525.html
Dave French and I served together for a few years when we were both sergeants in the Marine Corps. We kept in touch over the years. After his retirement from the Corps, he called me and we spoke about his experiences in Iraq and his struggle coming to grips with some of those experiences. During subsequent calls he shared with me some of the struggles he was dealing with while in the police academy. After he got out of field training we continued to talk occasionally about his new experiences as a police officer. Then, after I hadn't heard from in awhile I called his cell phone; not in service. I called his house phone; not in service. Eventually, I sent a letter (with a SASE) to his Surprise, AZ address asking him to reach out. It was returned as undeliverable. I haven't heard from Dave since probably 2009. I began Googling his name and eventually found the news articles and this blog. I've been to this blog before, but haven't commented until now. I'd like to think Dave will reappear and reach out to me after the statute of limitations has run out for the crimes he's committed (or however the legal system works), but a part of me wonders if I should add him to the names of men I honor on Memorial Day?
ReplyDeleteDave is a good man and hope he gets the help he needs and can be forgiven by the people he has hurt.
Semper Fidelis!