Northeastern KY Police Chief Arrested For DUI

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Posted: 8:23 AM Mar 17, 2008
Last Updated: 8:23 AM Mar 17, 2008

14 comments

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A police chief in Lewis County finds himself on the wrong side of the law.

State police arrested Vanceburg police chief Joe Billman on suspicion of drunk driving.

Police say a breath test showed he was over the legal limit to be driving, but Billman disagrees, saying tests at a hospital showed he was well below the legal limit.

He has no plans to step down.

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Posted by: Anonymous Location: pikeville on Mar 19, 2008 at 05:34 AM
Gee, I wonder if he was treated is I was in broad daylight for drinking coffee? I was questioned for running drugs I assume because I was driving a luxury import and speeding.. I could have been classified as harrassment. Thank goodness I had a friend with me. I do hope but I doubt if he was talked to in the same manner.

Posted by: donny Location: ky on Mar 18, 2008 at 11:27 PM
cop takes you to jail for drinking? my my now hes doing it. shame on the law. and the judges and the preachers ..my my cop drunk driving.what a shame. well maybe he think about it in jail..dont think he will spend time in there but he did get caught.hahaha

Posted by: Anonymous on Mar 18, 2008 at 11:21 PM
my my cop drinking. owell

Posted by: DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE Location: eastern ky on Mar 18, 2008 at 07:38 PM
No matter if he was over the limit or not he was still drinking and driving. He's in law enforcement and he is to set an example. What is the next person going to say that he stops for drink "You did it why can't I?" Then what will he say? Like I said, drinking products need a big tax add to it.

Posted by: PARENT Location: Lewis county on Mar 18, 2008 at 11:52 AM
HEY, You are to live what you teach! SHame on you; just 6 over 6 hours, we've heard it all.... No one is above the law! no, no one!!!!!! How DARE we teach kids and not live it ourself........... Just don't drink and you don't have to quit...

Posted by: APRIL on Mar 17, 2008 at 07:17 PM
WELL LETS SEE WE HAVE 2 GOV. OFFICALS WITHIN 1 WEEK WHY WASNT THE SHERIFFS CAUGHT WITH ANY WRONG DOINGS SEEMS LIKE SOMETHING IS FUNNY HERE THE STATE NEEDS TO INVESTIGATE THE SHERIFFS DEPT. IN LEWIS COUNTY FROM WHAT I READ

Posted by: Dale Location: Lewis Co on Mar 17, 2008 at 05:33 PM
I know Joe and he is an awesome guy. Please DON'T step down for no reason. If the blood test at the hospital shows he was below the legal limit, then that is the definitive word. What would you trust, a $100,000 instrument at the hospital ought to know better than the $100 portable breath testing toys that most police carry. They are about as accurate as a broken clock. Hang in there Joe!

Posted by: Anonymous Location: Lexington on Mar 17, 2008 at 04:21 PM
The law allows anyone arrested on DUI to have a blood test or urine test (at their own expense) done by a medical facility. With all the news in the last 2 months about the lawsuit against the company who makes the Intoxilyzer exclusively for Kentucky being inaccurate, I think the Chief did the same thing I would have, took a blood test to prove beyond a doubt how drunk he was/was not. Blood tests are more accurate than breath tests, that's a known fact, so now he has something to defend himself with in court against the questionable breath test. Believe me, I'm not taking up for the cop in this situation, I'm taking up for anyone who is subjected to the Intoxilyzer which has known issues and is questionable at best in its accuracy. Everyone should ask for/pay for a blood test to prove if you were drunk or not. And to the commenter that if the trooper thought he was drunk then he had to be, I've known many a cop who had no idea until they did a PBT and found out they were drunk.

Posted by: Lewis County on Mar 17, 2008 at 03:35 PM
Its pretty bad when your police chief goes to schools to teach the dare program.What are we trying to teach our kids?that this is okay to do.Do the right thing and step down Joe

Posted by: Catfish Location: Greenup County on Mar 17, 2008 at 02:21 PM
My goodness! Poor chief! He was simply trying to drink away the despair of the ill-fated Kentucky vs. Georgia fiasco at Georgia Tech Saturday and his designated driver, the county judge exec. wouldn't come pick him up because he'd been drinking too!

Posted by: K Location: Kentucky on Mar 17, 2008 at 12:48 PM
County Judge Executive and Police Chief within the same week???? hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Posted by: eastern Ky cop Location: east Ky on Mar 17, 2008 at 12:37 PM
I am a cop in the eastern part of the state and I think he needs to step down . If the Tpr. that arrested him felt that he should be taken off the road then he had to be drunk.

Posted by: Wow Location: Richmond on Mar 17, 2008 at 12:23 PM
See how cops and their familys follow each other blindly. They always want let off because they are special. Just like he says the same test that convicts hundreds every month isnt good enough to convict a police chief. WHere are all you cop loving commenters come on tell me how I bash cops yet you dont even look at these pages.

Posted by: ann Location: flemingsburg on Mar 17, 2008 at 11:05 AM
i lived in lewis county for awhile i am pleased to see it may be cleaned up another offical was cought last week for dui also i hope the state moves in on the sheriffs dept. they are the dirtiest (edited).

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