Cop Shows up Drunk to Receive Mothers against Drunk Driving Award

Does this count as ironic?

A police officer in Florida is in trouble after showing up drunk to receive an award from Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

According to an internal affairs investigation, Deputy Michael Szeliga from Pinellas County got so drunk he was found wandering a hotel hallway in his underwear.

Deputy Szeliga packed a bottle of Jameson Irish Whiskey in his luggage and headed off in his patrol car to the two-day Mothers Against Drunk Driving conference in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Deputy Szeliga was there for training and also to receive a MADD award for making more than 100 DUI arrests.

According to the 274-page report, Gulfport Police Chief Robert Vincent encountered the inebriated Deputy Szeliga outside of the banquet and decided it was not in Szeliga's best interests to attend and accept the award. This lead to some "disrespectful" comment from Szeligia and Vincent was forced to find one of Szeligia's supervisors to tell them of the situation.

Deputy Szeliga's day drinking started early that day. He attended the first part of one of the DUI trainings, but then left because he believed he didn't need to attend since he was being transferred out to a detective position. He told internal affairs investigators that he went back to his room and poured some whiskey and cokes and went down to the pool. After spending the afternoon down at the pool and drinking, Szeliga and his roommate went back to their room to change for the banquet. A fire alarm went off and this is the moment that the Deputy's story differs from other witnesses.

When the fire alarm went off, that is when Police Chief Robert Vincent saw Szeliga's in the hallways and says he was intoxicated. Szeliga's says he wasn't and was only in his boxers in the hallway because of the alarm going off.

Deputy Szeliga now works in the sheriff's crimes against children unit. You can read more at WFLA.