WEBSTER, NY - Newly released body camera footage shows an upstate New York district attorney refusing to stop for police when she was reportedly caught speeding. Instead of stopping, the woman continued drive and drove back to her house where she then called the chief of police to complain about the officer who had pursued her home.
The woman, identified as Sandra Doorley, is the district attorney for Monroe County. According to WHAM, Doorley was caught speeding on Monday, April 22nd, and on Thursday, April 25th, she released a statement admitting that she had been driving 55 mph in a 35 mph zone along Phillips Road.
By way of an explanation, she also released a video on Monday which she said was meant to be an apology. In the video, she said, “I was dealing with three homicides that occurred on the weekend, I watched a video where an innocent cab driver was executed and I was still reeling from a frightening medical concern that my husband received that afternoon.”
In her Thursday statement, she had said, "Once I realized that the intention of the car was to pull me over, 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. The Webster Police Officer followed me to my house and issued me a speeding ticket for my speed of 55 mph in a 35 mph zone. I acknowledged that I was speeding and I accepted the ticket."
However, body camera footage released by the Webster Police Department (WPD) on Friday, April 26th, shows a quite tense exchange between Doorley and the police officer in her driveway. When asked why she didn't stop, she responded by saying, "I didn't feel like stopping on Phillips Road at 5:30." The officer replied and said, "That's not your choice. You know that."
The officer then asked her, "What do you want us to do, not do our jobs because its you?" The DA said, "No, it's fine. I said write me a ticket, but I was just saying I was not going to stop on Phillips Road at 5:30." The officer said, "OK, well you broke another law because of that, right? You should know better." Doorley responded by saying, "Just write me the traffic ticket."
The officer said, "That's not a traffic ticket; that's an arrestable offense, Sandra. You know this." In another clip of the footage, Doorley can be heard saying, "I've had a really bad day; I've been dealing with murders in the city."
When Doorley first pulled into her driveway, the officer told her that she was doing a 55 in a 35, and she said, "I don't really care." At that point, she gets on the phone to call the police chief, Dennis Kohlmeier and says to him, "can you please tell them to leave me alone?" Footage shows the DA refusing to leave her garage to speak with the officer and dismissively hands the cop her phone to speak with the chief, then tells the officer to "just go away."
She then stormed inside of the house against the officer's orders and when he tries to explain that he is trying to conduct a traffic stop, she shouts back, "I know the law better than you." The officer said, "What is it you're so against me? I'm doing my job. You say you're the DA?" Doorley snapped back saying, "I am the DA," fetches her badge out of her car and calls the officer an (expletive).
By 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 23rd, Doorley said she pleaded guilty and sent the ticket over to Webster Town Court because she believes in accepting responsibility for her action and that she had "no intention of using" her "position to receive a benefit."
She released a full statement that read, "Nobody, including your district attorney, is above the rule of law, even traffic laws. Anybody who knows me understands without a doubt that I have dedicated my entire 33 year career to the safety of this community. My work to ensure the safety and respect of law enforcement is well proven time and time again. I stand by my work and stand by my commitment to the public safety of Monroe County."
The woman, identified as Sandra Doorley, is the district attorney for Monroe County. According to WHAM, Doorley was caught speeding on Monday, April 22nd, and on Thursday, April 25th, she released a statement admitting that she had been driving 55 mph in a 35 mph zone along Phillips Road.
By way of an explanation, she also released a video on Monday which she said was meant to be an apology. In the video, she said, “I was dealing with three homicides that occurred on the weekend, I watched a video where an innocent cab driver was executed and I was still reeling from a frightening medical concern that my husband received that afternoon.”
In her Thursday statement, she had said, "Once I realized that the intention of the car was to pull me over, 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. The Webster Police Officer followed me to my house and issued me a speeding ticket for my speed of 55 mph in a 35 mph zone. I acknowledged that I was speeding and I accepted the ticket."
However, body camera footage released by the Webster Police Department (WPD) on Friday, April 26th, shows a quite tense exchange between Doorley and the police officer in her driveway. When asked why she didn't stop, she responded by saying, "I didn't feel like stopping on Phillips Road at 5:30." The officer replied and said, "That's not your choice. You know that."
The officer then asked her, "What do you want us to do, not do our jobs because its you?" The DA said, "No, it's fine. I said write me a ticket, but I was just saying I was not going to stop on Phillips Road at 5:30." The officer said, "OK, well you broke another law because of that, right? You should know better." Doorley responded by saying, "Just write me the traffic ticket."
The officer said, "That's not a traffic ticket; that's an arrestable offense, Sandra. You know this." In another clip of the footage, Doorley can be heard saying, "I've had a really bad day; I've been dealing with murders in the city."
When Doorley first pulled into her driveway, the officer told her that she was doing a 55 in a 35, and she said, "I don't really care." At that point, she gets on the phone to call the police chief, Dennis Kohlmeier and says to him, "can you please tell them to leave me alone?" Footage shows the DA refusing to leave her garage to speak with the officer and dismissively hands the cop her phone to speak with the chief, then tells the officer to "just go away."
She then stormed inside of the house against the officer's orders and when he tries to explain that he is trying to conduct a traffic stop, she shouts back, "I know the law better than you." The officer said, "What is it you're so against me? I'm doing my job. You say you're the DA?" Doorley snapped back saying, "I am the DA," fetches her badge out of her car and calls the officer an (expletive).
By 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 23rd, Doorley said she pleaded guilty and sent the ticket over to Webster Town Court because she believes in accepting responsibility for her action and that she had "no intention of using" her "position to receive a benefit."
She released a full statement that read, "Nobody, including your district attorney, is above the rule of law, even traffic laws. Anybody who knows me understands without a doubt that I have dedicated my entire 33 year career to the safety of this community. My work to ensure the safety and respect of law enforcement is well proven time and time again. I stand by my work and stand by my commitment to the public safety of Monroe County."
For corrections or revisions, click here.
The opinions reflected in this article are not necessarily the opinions of LET
Comments
2024-05-02T09:30-0400 | Comment by: David
Aw c'mon guys...what's the big deal? She's the District Attorney! She's Special! Pathetic.
2024-05-02T10:28-0400 | Comment by: Howard
I guess you may get a new DA come election time? lol Good for the officer! Webster PD was a good agency to work with back in the day when I was in Wayne County, next door. Back then I stopped both regular citizens and public officials who committed traffic violations. But they stopped immediately! And I let many of them go with warnings, depending upon their demeanor. This lady obviously talked herself right into the ticket. Good for the officer and Webster PD.