Topeka police officer blamed wife for drunken driving crash. Here's the status of his certification.

A Topeka police officer hit a car while driving drunk last October, then told police his wife had hit it, says the body that voided his law enforcement certification last month.

The Kansas Commission on Peace Officers' Standards and Training on Aug. 15 revoked the certification of Steven Dorsey Smith, it said on its website.

”Respondent’s conduct shows that he lacks the personal qualities of integrity, upholding the laws of the state, conduct that warrants the public trust, and upholding the oath required for certification,” the KSCPOST website said.

Smith was employed by the city of Topeka from Oct. 7, 2019, through Jan. 21, 2022, said Gretchen Spiker, the city's communications director.

Smith was put on leave after the crash, Spiker said, and he resigned during the investigation, which continued even after he left the department. The investigation's findings were then sent to KSCPOST.

"While unfortunate, the city feels this is an example of an investigation that was handled with the utmost integrity," she said, "and that all best practices were followed."

Kansas statute empowers KSCPOST to revoke the certification of officers whose actions show they aren't of good moral character sufficient to warrant public trust in them.

Video disputed former Topeka officer's claim

Topeka police learned last October that a vehicle had left the scene after hitting a parked vehicle in front of its owner's home in Topeka, KSCPOST said.

It said Smith, who was off duty at the time, then called a dispatcher at the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center to say his wife had been in a collision, then had circled the block and returned to the crash scene.

Topeka police went to the scene and talked with Smith, who said his wife had rear-ended the parked vehicle, KSCPOST said.

But doorbell camera video of the crash provided to authorities by the owner of the struck car was inconsistent with Smith's report that his wife had been driving, it said.

On-duty Topeka officer was asked to turn off his body-worn camera

Smith asked a Topeka police officer at the scene to turn off his body camera, then admitted he had been driving the car at the time of the crash, KSCPOST said.

When asked if the officer turned off his body camera, Spiker provided The Capital-Journal a copy of the department's body camera policy, which prohibits officers who begin recording from turning off their cameras until the contact has ended, the officer has left the scene or a supervisor has authorized the recording to cease.

She then said, "With the exception of Smith, the investigation noted no other policy violations by other employees of the city."

Topeka police officer said he was distracted by his telephone

The Kansas Highway Patrol took over the investigation, with troopers observing that Smith's speech was slurred and he had a strong odor of alcohol on his breath, KSCPOST said.

Smith told a trooper the crash occurred after he was "distracted by his telephone while attempting to place a call," it said.

Smith admitted he then drove away, picked up his wife and returned to the scene, KSCPOST said.

Smith was found to have a blood-alcohol level of 0.089, it said.

Kansas law considers motorists to be intoxicated when their blood alcohol level is 0.08.

Smith was 26 years old at the time of the crash, according to records from the Shawnee County Jail, where he was booked in, then released on bond.

Steven Smith came to Topeka police academy from Mississippi

Smith was charged with driving under the influence and interference with law enforcement, in a case that was resolved when he entered into a diversion agreement, KSCPOST said.

Smith came here from Brookhaven, Miss., to be part of the Topeka police academy class that began meeting in January 2020, according to Capital-Journal archives.

Tim Hrenchir can be reached at threnchir@gannett.com or 785-213-5934.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Former Topeka police officer's law enforcement certification revoked