TIBBS BROKE BOISE CITY POLICY

Idaho drug czar and Boise City Councilman Jim Tibbs, while serving as
interim police chief, drove a patrol car to the scene of a police
shooting after drinking alcohol, a violation of city policy he knew
about before breaking it.

Community ombudsman Pierce Murphy's 59-page report into the Dec. 18,
2004, shooting noted that an officer, identified in the report only as
Officer No. 6, had admitted drinking one glass of wine before he was
notified of the shooting of teenager Matthew Jones outside his North
Boise home.

Tibbs, whom Gov. Jim Risch named drug czar Tuesday, declined to
comment on Murphy's report Wednesday, saying he hadn't had a chance to
read it yet. But Thursday Tibbs confirmed to the Idaho Statesman that
he was the officer referred to in Murphy's report.

"I am Officer No. 6," said Tibbs, who also is rumored to be preparing
to challenge Mayor Dave Bieter's re-election next year. "I believe in
full disclosure. I believe in being open and honest. I'm not trying to
defend it."

Tibbs said he did not tell Risch or his staff about the incident until
Wednesday, the same day Murphy's report was released and the day after
Risch appointed him drug czar. Risch spokesman Brad Hoaglun said the
revelation would not have changed Risch's choice of Tibbs.

"No, not at all," Hoaglun said. "There's no reconsideration by the
governor at all."

Tibbs declined to discuss the details of that night except to say he
was not intoxicated or impaired when he drove the patrol car, and he
felt the need to get to the scene. Tibbs was at a Christmas party when
he got the call. At the time, Tibbs was serving out the year as the
city's interim chief before retiring at the end of the year.

"Obviously I needed to be there," he said.

City Councilwoman Elaine Clegg also went to the shooting scene that
night. She saw Tibbs and said he did not appear to be intoxicated. She
and other council members commended Tibbs for acknowledging his wrongdoing.

"I appreciate the fact that he recognized the need for disclosure,"
Council President Maryanne Jordan said.

In a statement, Bieter scolded Tibbs: "I agree with the ombudsman's report
that this was a violation of city policy. Such behavior by a public servant
is never acceptable, and I would be disturbed to learn of similar conduct
by any city employee, no matter what his or her position or job assignment."

Police department policy prohibits employees from driving city
vehicles within eight hours of consuming alcohol. Tibbs told Murphy he
had one glass of wine one hour before driving. In Murphy's report, he
said Tibbs "was aware of the policy and knew that operating a BPD
vehicle an hour after drinking a glass of wine was not allowed."

Murphy issued a "sustained finding" against Tibbs for violating the
policy. If Tibbs were still a police employee, he could be disciplined
for the violation. That won't happen now that Tibbs sits on the
council, but Councilman David Eberle said the city might need to
require top police officials to be sober at all times.

"If you want to be on command staff, maybe you shouldn't drink,"
Eberle said.