Taichung police yesterday defended their actions in arresting a Nantou County councilor for assaulting two officers who stopped his car to check for drunk driving.
"We have transferred the case to the Taichung District Prosecutors' Office.
PHOTO: LIN MING-HUNG, TAIPEI TIMES
"Our officers enforced the law even though the councilor tried to take advantage of his position," said Hsu Ming-shan (許明山), the chief officer at the Tadun Police Station, a part of Taichung City Police Department's fourth precinct.
According to the police, 50-year-old Nantou County Councilor Hsu Meng-tien (
Around 1am, their car was stopped by officers Yen Tsu-ching (
Police said they stopped the car because it was weaving across the road.
However, the three men in the car refused to be tested and insulted the officers. Hsu Meng-tien identified himself as a Nantou County councilor and asked the officers to let them go, the police said.
When the two officers ignored the councillor's threats, the trio attacked the officers, causing minor injuries to the officers on their faces and arms.
The police said a breathalyzer test showed that Cheng Chou was driving under the influence of alcohol.
The three have been charged with offenses against public safety and assaulting law enforcement officers.
After a short interrogation on Thursday night, Taichung prosecutors decided to release Hsu Meng-tien on NT$20,000 bail and Cheng Chou and Lin on NT$10,000 bail.
Hsu Meng-tien said that he did not insult or assault the police. He said he was planning on suing the police.
"We slowly stopped the car when they [the police] asked us to. However, they thought that we were trying to escape and cuffed us immediately. It that how the police enforce the law?" he said.
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