A New York district broke its silence and apologized after it was seen on body camera video berating a police officer for a speeding ticket.
Monroe County District Attorney Sandra Doorley released a video statement Monday in response to viral police footage of her arguing with a Webster police officer and calling him a ‘moron.’
‘Last Monday, I failed you and the standards I hold myself to and for that, I am very sorry. “What I did was wrong, there are no excuses, I take full responsibility for my actions,” she said in the video.
‘I have not achieved the values that I have maintained during my 33-year career. I did not treat this officer with the respect he deserved. All police officers deserve respect. I am truly and sincerely sorry.
Doorley later claimed that his reaction was due to a stressful day in which he was “dealing with three homicides.”
Monroe County District Attorney Sandra Doorley issued a video statement Monday in response to viral police footage of her arguing with a Webster police officer.
The disagreement arose from a traffic stop conducted when Doorley exceeded the posted speed limit by 20 mph.
When the officer explains the reason for the stop, she responds, “I really don’t care” before calling Webster’s police chief.
The Rochester City Council sent a letter to Attorney General Letitia James on Saturday asking her to investigate Doorley’s behavior.
She continued: ‘I saw a video of an innocent taxi driver being executed and I was still recovering from a worrying medical concern my husband received that afternoon.
“But we all have bad days and stress and it was wrong of me to take it out on an officer who was just doing his job.” While I apologized earlier, I’ll say it again, I’m sorry. Police already have a tough job and that day I made this officer’s job harder.
Doorley then described the steps he is taking to “hold himself accountable.”
“First, I have already pleaded guilty to the speeding ticket and will pay the fine willingly,” he said.
“I will then refer the entire matter to a district attorney in another county for review and will fully cooperate with that investigation.”
Doorley also said she herself will report the incident to a complaints committee.
‘Finally, if one of my assistant district attorneys had acted this way, I would have disciplined him. So I’m disciplining myself,” he added.
‘I will take ethics training to remind me that professionalism matters. I have felt humiliated by my own stupidity and I am entirely to blame.’
Doorley’s apology video comes after the Rochester City Council sent a letter to Attorney General Letitia James on Saturday, pleading with her to investigate the prosecutor’s conduct.
“Recent body camera footage, shared by the Webster Police Department, has raised significant concerns regarding Doorley’s behavior during a traffic stop in Webster, New York,” the letter said.
“This incident has led us to question his fitness to serve as district attorney and we believe an investigation by his office is warranted.”
The document was signed by the nine members of the city council, who believe that Doorley violated the standards of “ethics, responsibility and respect for the law” required by his title. Locals have said Doorley’s behavior makes a mockery of the law and could lead criminals to say they had ignored the laws because she felt like it – the same excuse used by the woman paid to prosecute them.
Monroe County District Attorney Sandra Doorley faces an investigation into her behavior after she was caught on body camera insulting a police officer.
Council members believe Doorley violated the standards of “ethics, responsibility and respect for the law” that a district attorney must meet.
The heated altercation stemmed from an incident on April 22, when an officer followed Doorley home after she was flagged for driving 20 miles over the speed limit in her massive GMC Yukon SUV.
Doorley only admitted to driving 55 mph in a 35 mph zone after the humiliating body camera video emerged.
The footage begins with Doorley telling an officer, “I’m sorry.” I’m the district attorney. He was 55 years old coming from work.
When the officer tells Doorley the reason for the traffic stop, she responds, “I really don’t care.”
The officer then tells her to get out of his garage, but she refuses.
As things continue to get worse, the district attorney calls Webster Police Chief Dennis Kohlmeier on his cell phone and asks, ‘Can you please tell them to leave me alone?’
When the officer tells her that she made the situation more serious than it had to be by refusing to stop, Doorley responds, “Just write me the traffic ticket.”
He hands the phone to the officer and tells him “leave me alone, this is ridiculous” and “just leave.”
Doorley issued a statement Thursday admitting he exceeded the speed limit and reaffirming his “commitment to the public.”
She can be heard calling the officer an “asshole” as she takes his license plate out of her car.
As the camera continues to roll, Doorley tells the officer that he knows the law better than him and at one point calls him an “asshole.”
‘Why are you so against me? I’m doing my work. You say you’re a district attorney? the policeman asks.
“I’m the district attorney,” she responds, swearing as she retrieves her license plate from her car.
He later complains that he had a bad day “dealing with murders in the city.”
Doorley released a statement Thursday, admitting that he exceeded the speed limit, but was “less than half a mile” from his neighborhood.
Once she realized the officer intended to detain her, Doorley stated, “I called the Webster Police Chief to inform him that I was not a threat and that I would speak to the officer at my house down the street.” .
He pleaded guilty to a traffic violation in municipal court “because I believe in accepting responsibility for my actions and had no intention of using my position to receive a benefit.”
‘No one, not even your district attorney, is above the rule of law, not even traffic laws. “Anyone who knows me understands without a doubt that I have dedicated my entire 33-year career to the safety of this community,” Doorley continued.
‘My work to ensure the safety and respect of law enforcement is well demonstrated time and time again. “I keep my job and remain committed to the public safety of Monroe County.”
