22 Dec 2011

Police officer suspended in New Caledonia for causing drink drive accident

10:05 am on 22 December 2011

A senior French police officer in New Caledonia has been suspended after causing a traffic accident while being drunk.

According to Noumea's daily newspaper, the accident happened in Dumbea last week when the officer's vehicle hit another car before landing in a ditch.

A complaint was lodged by a woman who was injured in the crash.

The driver is said to have fallen asleep and was found to have three times the legal alcohol limit.

He has been suspended from his job at the special police unit which was set up last month following an initiative announced by the French President, Nicolas Sarkozy, in August to help curb growing lawlessness.

There have been several incidents of drunk policemen causing traffic accidents in New Caledonia in recent years.