Police Off-Beat

Next time you're watching one of the "Law & Order" franchises and the cops get pissed because the bad guy is cut a break on a "technicality" by the judicial system, think of this story. Appearing in today's Springfield Journal-Register is the tale of a guy with multiple previous alcohol violations getting out of a new DUI because...the cop was a multiple no-show in court.

Michael Strader, 24, was in a front-page photograph Dec. 19 that showed
Springfield police officer Heather Pletsch applying a pressure-point hold to him
after he allegedly bit her hand.

Strader originally was charged with DUI,
fleeing and eluding an officer, running a stop sign and aggravated battery to a
police officer. He was convicted only of running the stop sign.

The aggravated battery charge was dropped after Pletsch failed to show
up in court three times - twice after receiving subpoenas.

Through a police department spokesman, Pletsch - a patrol officer who
has been on the force since 2001 - said she didn't come to court on the first
date because the case was continued.

She was subpoenaed to appear for a second court date. She said she
signed for that subpoena, but then forgot to go to court. She also accepted
another subpoena for a third court date, but that time, Pletsch said through the
spokesman, she couldn't remember why she didn't show up.

The spokesman, Sgt. Kevin Keen, said Pletsch's failure to pursue the
case in court will be reviewed by Deputy Chief Mike Geiger.

Unbelievable. And I always go for supervision on speeding tickets because, knowing my luck, the cop would show up in court. Maybe I should reconsider.