Sheriff candidate fighting suspension

David Kihara

Thursday, March 16, 2006 | 6:49 a.m.

A Metro Police lieutenant who is running for sheriff on a promise to "aggressively pursue those who would endanger us all by drinking and driving" was given a three-week suspension two years ago for drinking and driving a police car.

According to state records, Lt. Ron Williams had been drinking with a sergeant at a bar before the two left in separate cars.

During an Internal Affairs investigation, Williams admitted he had relapsed after being treated for alcohol problems.

He was then transferred out of a special unit and was passed over for promotion to captain.

Police opened the investigation because the sergeant with whom Williams had been drinking crashed his car on the way home. Even though Williams gave a statement, police investigators cited him with not being "forthright."

Williams filed a complaint last August with the state's Employee-Management Relations Board, which handles public employees' labor disputes, saying he was being discriminated against because he has a disability - alcoholism.

The three-member board ruled against Williams 2-1, saying alcoholism isn't covered under state law. The board also found that he was not discriminated against but said Metro's actions were legal and "based on his fitness" for duty.

Williams said he wouldn't comment on the case because it is under judicial review, but he added that he no longer has a problem with drinking.

"I have effectively dealt with that issue," Williams said.

Sheriff Bill Young declined to comment on Williams.

"I don't even know him, he doesn't know me," Young said. "There are going to be people running, and I'm not going to comment on them."