Following a report that accuses members of the Denver Police Department of not arresting their fellow officers when the off-duty officers appear to be driving drunk, the chief of police is calling for heightened scrutiny for all city public servants who are pulled over on suspicion of DUI. City officials are considering the idea, which comes as Mayor Michael Hancock is picking a new police chief and a new manager of safety is set to take office.

Current Police Chief Gerald Whitman's proposal would add a second layer of decision-making to the process of charging - or not charging - a driver with DUI if that drive is an off-duty police officer, firefighter, sheriff's deputy or public official. Under the proposed new rule, the officer making the traffic stop would be required to call his or her supervisor. In turn, the supervisor would have to submit a written report to the district commander. That report would explain whether the officer at the scene made a DUI arrest or not, and if not, a detailed justification why not.

The proposal comes in the wake of a July report by an independent monitor that suggested that law enforcement officers are letting their colleagues off without an arrest when they pull them over on suspicion of DUI. No Denver police officers have been arrested solely for DUI since 2005, though five were arrested following car accidents when they appeared intoxicated.

Denver police officers have disputed the report, saying the monitor's information was too limited. The monitor said he stands by his report.

Source: Denver Post, "Denver police chief proposes double-check on DUI stops of public officials," Tom McGhee, Oct. 27, 2011