An upstate New York district attorney who found herself at the center of a misconduct investigation will be publicly censured after she was caught on camera berating a police officer during a traffic stop.
The New York State Commission on Prosecutorial Conduct (CPC) determined that Monroe County District Attorney Sandra Doorley “should be publicly censured following the investigation of her failure to comply with a routine traffic stop” in which she “failed to follow police directives, repeatedly referenced her position as District Attorney, and became hostile and used profane language with the Police Officer,” a press release states.
A public censure is an official statement of disapproval from a governing body that formally acknowledges a public official’s misconduct or wrongdoing.
The decision comes more than a year after the prosecutor’s fiery quarrel with a police officer, which was caught on bodycam footage and drew national attention.
On April 22, 2024, Doorley refused to pull over for the cop who attempted to conduct a traffic stop after catching the district attorney speeding. Instead, Doorley drove to her home, pulled into the garage, got out of her car, and lambasted the officer.
Bodycam footage shows Doorley starting the dispute by telling the cop that she’s “the DA” and doesn’t “really care” that she was speeding. She then proceeds to call Webster Police Chief Dennis Kholmeier and tells the cop to talk to his boss.
“This is ridiculous,” she says as she hands the officer her phone. “Just go away.”
Kholmeier advises the cop to call a supervisor to the scene.
As they wait for a supervisor to arrive, Doorley refuses to comply with the officer’s orders and remains antagonistic towards him.
At different points of the encounter, she walks in and out of her home despite being ordered to stay by her vehicle, tells the officer, “Get out of my [expletive] house,” and calls him a “f**ing a**hole.”
“Just write me the f**ing ticket. I really don’t care because I’m the one that’s gonna prosecute myself,” Doorley tells the cop.
Days after the traffic stop, when the video began to spread online, Doorley issued a public statement about the incident. However, the CPC found that her statement “omitted details” about the confrontation.
In the statement, Doorley 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,” adding, “I acknowledged that I was speeding, and I accepted the ticket.”
On the entire matter, commission members found that Doorley “used the power of her office as District Attorney for her own benefit and was belligerent and hostile towards the police officer when she: (A) refused to comply with a lawful order to stop her vehicle pursuant to a traffic stop; (B) called the Chief of the Webster Police to seek special treatment; (C) failed to follow the police officer’s directives; (D) made repeated references to her position as the District Attorney of Monroe County; (E) was hostile to the police officer, who was effectuating the lawful stop, and repeatedly used profanity towards him; and (F) made a public statement that contained material omissions about her conduct and interactions with law enforcement,” the CPC’s recommendation states.
Other official documents note that Doorley admitted to each instance of misconduct listed in the commission’s findings.
She has served as the Monroe District Attorney since 2012 and has won three re-elections. Her current term ends in 2027.
She delivered testimony to the committee in March, suggesting that it was time to step down from her position and requesting early retirement.
“I want the community to know that I’m sorry. I want to protect the integrity of the office. And I just want to — I just want I want to go away. And I wish you’d just let me … let me, let me retire,” Doorley stated in March. “I know it’s time for me to go, and I’m — I’ve got that — I’ve got that in the … in motion. I’m just looking for the best transition for the next person to take over. I think it’s time that there is … that there should be a new DA. So I would just … I would ask you just let me ride off into the sunset. … It’s time for me to go.”
In a written response to the public censure, Doorley didn’t mention any plans to resign or retire, but said she was looking forward “to continuing to serve the people of Monroe County.”
“Because of pending disciplinary proceedings — resulting from my self-report of the incident — I am prohibited from providing a detailed response. However, I am content that the Commission has concluded its investigation by recommending the censure I have sought since this process commenced,” Doorley stated. “Additionally, I am gratified that the Commission’s thorough investigation afforded me equitable and professional treatment. I look forward to continuing to serve the people of Monroe County.”
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