(WSVN) - A Miami Police detective sworn to enforce the law is caught on tape trying to be above the law. Just one station has the dramatic police bodycam videos showing what happened after the detective was pulled over for a suspected DUI. 7’s Kevin Ozebek investigates.
An off-duty City of Miami Police detective in handcuffs, and hoping to catch a break from the law.
Miami Police Detective Danny Hebra: “Sarge, please.”
MCSO deputy: “This is not fun for me, either.”
Danny Hebra: “I know. It’s [expletive] up.”
Monroe County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Miami Police Detective Danny Hebra in July on DUI charges.
MCSO deputy: “You know we have a job to do, right?” (takes Hebra’s badge from belt holder)
Danny Hebra: “No, no. Sarge, sarge.”
MCSO deputy: “Come on, just relax.”
It all began with a 911 call.
Yancy Bartlett (in 911 call): “There’s this guy in a black Tahoe. He’s, like, really drunk, driving over the curbs and everything.”
Yancy Bartlett made that call after he says he saw Hebra park his car in a Key Largo shopping plaza.
Yancy Bartlett: “I was watching him walk there, and he was just like wobbling everywhere, so I figured that he was probably drinking. As he went into the liquor store, I called 911 and told them what was going on.”
Bartlett says Detective Hebra then left the store and sat in his car.
Yancy Bartlett: “He took a bottle, I guess, of vodka and threw the bottle out the window, right onto the ground, and then drove off.”
Moments later, a Monroe County Sheriff’s deputy spotted the Tahoe and followed, watching as Hebra drifted into the bike lane.
After he turned onto a side street into the wrong lane, he pulled him over.
MCSO deputy: “Would you happen to have your registration with you at all?”
Danny Hebra: “Ehh.” (holds his chest)
Hebra seemed to have trouble speaking and told the deputy that he was nervous.
Danny Hebra: “I usually don’t get stopped, so, whew.”
Instead of handing over his registration. he gave his City of Miami Police ID.
Danny Hebra: “Being a police officer, that’s my registration.”
A second deputy arrived and gets filled in on what’s happening.
MCSO deputy: “He does have a firearm on him. When I made contact with him, his eyes are bloodshot. I could smell alcohol coming from the car, and speech is slurred.”
Danny Hebra was ordered to leave his gun in the car and then reluctantly agreed to a roadside sobriety test.
Danny Hebra: “You want to do this?”
MCSO deputy: “I can tell you, from police officer to police officer, Danny, this does not make me feel very comfortable.”
He did start the test, but soon wanted to make a phone call. The police report notes the contact he called was labeled “Sergeant.” In the call, Hebra said he’s “doing roadsides” and asked, “Do I do them?”
Once off the phone, he told the deputy he no longer wanted to continue the test, but he did continue begging to be let off the hook.
Danny Hebra: “There’s nothing you can do? Really?”
MCSO deputy: “I can’t.”
Danny Hebra: “Really? Really?”
MCSO deputy: “Really. If I let you go right now, Danny, you understand I’ll lose my job?”
Danny Hebra: “You won’t.”
MCSO deputy: “One hundred percent.”
The deputies cuffed Hebra and led him into a cruiser. They collected his wallet, police badge and his loaded gun.
MCSO deputy: “Jesus Christ.”
On the way to the police station, Hebra appeared to pass out. Later at the Sheriff’s Office, he refused to take a breathalyzer test and again tried to berate a deputy.
Danny Hebra: “How do you [expletive] arrest an officer? How do you do that?”
MCSO deputy: “We’re not above the law, sir. You know that, right?”
7News sifted through Detective Hebra’s personnel file. In his 12-year career at Miami Police, he has never been given one reprimand.
Danny Hebra: “Sarge, Sarge. Never been stopped before.”
Danny Hebra: “Sarge, I’m going to lose my [expletive] job. Lose it.”
Detective Hebra still has a job, but has been told to stay home while Miami Police conduct an internal investigation.
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