Prosecutor: Knight's sentence was fair
By RYAN COLLINGWOOD
Staff Writer
Post Falls Police officer Brenda Knight issued 25 DUI infractions in 2015, a number which earned her the distinction of the department's "Top DUI Cop" in its annual report.
On Nov. 19, 2016, Knight was slapped with a DUI of her own.
When Kootenai County deputies found Knight in her Jeep in a ditch near Rathdrum, she showed signs of alcohol consumption before blowing a .25, a blood-alcohol level three times the legal limit.
She was sentenced earlier this month, and news of the sentence sparked an outcry by online commenters who groused that she received a slap on the wrist because of her badge. Letters to the editor echoed that sentiment.
"Are you SERIOUS??? Officer Brenda Knight gets off with a deferred sentence for an excessive DUI??!! She is a senior officer and a Drug Recognition Expert/ DUI Specialist who knowingly and willingly broke the law she is sworn to uphold and has arrested and jailed hundreds of others for in her career," a recent letter from Rick Linscott read.
Because it was Knight's first DUI and witheld judgment, her excessive DUI was amended to a regular DUI. She was sentenced to six days in jail, an $800 fine, a year of probation and 90 days of a suspended driver's license with temporary drive-to-work privileges.
In lieu of serving six days in jail, she will serve 16 hours in the Kootenai County Sheriff's Labor Program.
Latah County Prosecuting Attorney Bill Thompson sees it differently from those who think Knight got off easy. Thompson’s office prosecuted the case due to a conflict of interest with Kootenai County.
Thompson noted it's not unusual for a first-time DUI offender to have their charges amended. Fairness-wise, his office made it a point to make sure the sentence was appropriate.
"We tried to treat her exactly the same as we would anyone else in the same circumstance," Thompson told The Press. "We wanted to avoid the look of preferential treatment, and the look of being harsher because she's an officer."
Per Idaho law, a first DUI offense can cost up to is $1,000 plus court costs, up to six months monts in jail and driver's license suspension of up to 180 days.
If Knight's charge wasn't ammended from excesssive DUI, she would have faced from 10 days to a year in jail, a maximum fine of $2,000, and a mandatory one year suspended license.
Knight is still employed by the city of Post Falls. In what capacity remains unclear, as Post Falls Police Chief Scot Haug told The Press he isn't allowed to comment on personnel matters.