Officer Thomas Kiesow drives as if he's drunk

[KC]

Police reports obtained by 27 News show an erraticly driving, off duty Madison police officer admitted drinking to a police sergeant who responded to the traffic case.

Reports also show the off duty Officer Thomas Kiesow, 52, walked into his home despite being watched by an on-scene officer, and refused further cooperation.

Kiesow has been on the police force 29 years.

Kiesow has a 1995 drunk driving conviction.

As 27 News has reported, a citizen's 911 call just before midnight, Oct. 13 alerted authorities to a Ford Explorer being driven erraticly.

The emergency call lasted more than ten minutes and the caller described the driver weaving, hitting road medians, running a red light and nearly hitting other cars on the city's west side.

Police reports released to 27 News stated Sergeant Phillip Moore caught up with Kiesow as Kiesow arrived at his Madison home.

In reports, Moore stated, "I noted the odor of intoxicants" when he contacted Kiesow.

"He admitted that he had been drinking," Moore wrote in his report.

Moore stated he assigned officer Marine Yoo to "stand by with Kiesow" as Moore contacted headquarters.

But reports show Kiesow walked into his home, and refused to answer when Moore "knocked and rang the doorbell repeatedly."

In the reports, Yoo stated he was on the home's driveway when Kiesow began walking toward the home's door.

Yoo also stated his only attempt to stop Kiesow was to call Kiesow's name in a "conversational tone," and possibly not loud enough to hear.

Reports indicate no officer tried to enter the home forcibly, or seek a search warrant.

Officer Kiesow performed no field sobriety tests and was not arrested, nor cited.

Officer Yoo also stated the night of the incident, he asked Moore whether he would have to prepare a police report on what happened, and Moore told him it was not necessary. Yoo was ordered to prepare a report two days later.

Police Chief Noble Wray has told 27 News the erratic driving and the police response to it are under internal investigation.

Records Section Sergeant Emil Quast told 27 News a decision on whether to discipline Kiesow, Moore, or Yoo could come next week.

27 News is identifying the officers and sergeant involved in the erratic driving case because their names appear in the reports which have now been publicly released.

www.wkowtv.com/index.php/news/story/p/pkid/25373

[KC]

Madison police officer was not given a sobriety test after he was stopped on a tip of erratic driving - and reportedly admitted drinking - police reports released this week say.


Thomas Kiesow, a 29-year veteran of the department, smelled of intoxicants after colleagues pulled him over in front of his west-side home on Oct. 13, according to police reports released Wednesday.

Kiesow has not been arrested or charged with anything, and police officials say there is no civil or criminal investigation pending against him, which means he likely will face no charges in the case.

He is, however, the subject of an internal affairs investigation that could result in disciplinary measures for violating Madison Police Department policy.

The police reports were made public after officials wrapped up the fact-finding stage of the internal review of the incident. Disciplinary decisions are expected to be announced in coming days.

Kiesow's driving prompted a police response shortly before midnight when a Middleton man called police to report a Ford Explorer being driven erratically on County M, heading toward Madison's west side.

www.madison.com/tct/mad/topstories/index.php?ntid=108771&ntpid=1

[KC]

Madison City Attorney Mike May told 27 News he is considering issuing a citation to the off duty police officer who drove erraticly Oct. 13, but was not arrested, nor cited.

"There's a strong possibility there would be eyewitness evidence this individual violated some other traffic regulation, perhaps reckless driving."

27 News first reported a citizen's more than ten minute long 911 call described Thomas Kiesow's Ford Explorer weaving, hitting road medians, running a red light and nearly running other cars off the road.

Police reports released to 27 News state Kiesow admitted drinking to police sergeant Phil Moore after Moore caught up to Kiesow's car at Kiesow's Madison home.

The reports show despite an officer being stationed to watch Kiesow, Kiesow walked into his home before being requested to peform a field sobriety test.

Reports state Kiesow failed to respond to Moore's calls and knocking on Kiesow's door.

May told 27 News the lack of a field sobriety test dooms much chance of mounting a drunk driving case against the off duty officer.

"You would have evidence that someone was driving erraticly, and that someone had something to drink, and that's all you can show, and that does not equal drunk driving under our statutes," May said.

Kiesow, a twenty nine year veteran of the police force, has a previous drunken driving conviction.

May told 27 News he wants more information on what the witness saw.
Records show, police officer Marine Yoo interviewed the witness and asked Moore whether he needed to make a police report of the incident, and was told he did not.

Two days later, that officer was ordered to prepare a police report.

May expects to make a decision on whether to cite Kiesow this week.

Police officials are also investigating whether Kiesow's actions, or the police response to this incident, violated any department rules.

www.wkowtv.com/index.php/news/story/p/pkid/25413