Riviera Beach police sergeant sentenced to probation for drunken shooting

From Sun-Sentinel.com

A Rivera Beach police sergeant was sentenced to a year of probation on Thursday for an October 2009 incident where he got drunk and fired more than a dozen shots from his service revolver while off-duty.

Michael Dodson pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of using a firearm while intoxicated and disorderly intoxication as part of a plea deal with prosecutors. Circuit Judge Richard Oftedal sentenced Dodson to six months' probation on each charge for a total of a year on supervision.

As part of the plea agreement, Oftedal said Dodson could apply to end his probation early after six months if he pays $253 in court costs and finishes 100 hours of community service.

In exchange for the guilty plea, prosecutors agreed to drop a felony charge of shooting in a building as well as a charge of falsely reporting a crime.

According to arrest records, Dodson fired off 15 rounds from his service weapon shortly after someone dropped him off at his house from a night of heavy drinking. He then slashed himself more than 100 times with a box cutter and hit himself with a hammer, trying to make it look like he had been attacked, Palm Beach Gardens Detective Richard Moretti said in a sworn statement.

He called for backup and told Palm Beach Gardens police he was beaten and cut in his garage by two masked men. He said he shot at them as they ran away.

Dodson left court without comment, flanked by his attorneys Thomas Gano and Donnie Murrell.

Rose Anne Brown, spokeswoman for Riviera Beach Police, said the department will conduct an internal affairs investigation into the incident. Brown said Dodson remains on restricted administrative assignment.