Boise officer known for citing drunken drivers sentenced for driving under the influence

Boise Police Cpl. Casey Hancuff, a 29-year veteran of the department who was known for citing thousands of drunken drivers, was sentenced to one year of unsupervised probation after he pleaded guilty to driving under the influence.

Fourth District Magistrate Judge Adam Kimball during the sentencing granted Hancuff a withheld judgment, which means that so long as he follows the terms of his probation, he’ll never be convicted of the crime.

“This undoubtedly — in this courthouse, in this community, in this state — is going to be a stain on your career,” Kimball said during the sentencing.

An Eagle officer stopped Hancuff around 1 a.m. May 15 after police said he was “driving erratically” on Idaho 44, Ada County sheriff’s spokesperson Patrick Orr previously told the Idaho Statesman. His blood alcohol content was .111, Orr said, which is past the legal limit of .08.

“I apologize for even being here and taking the court’s time,” Hancuff said. “I make no excuses for what I did that night.”

Hancuff was also ordered to complete 40 hours of community service in lieu of five days in jail. Typically a defendant would work on the Ada County Sheriff’s Labor Detail, but Kimball said it would be impractical for Hancuff, so he was given the option to complete the service with a government agency or nonprofit.

Judge suspends driver’s license

In Idaho, individuals’ first DUI is punishable by up to six months in county jail, along with a maximum fine of $1,000. They could also lose their driver’s license for up to six months. Kimball suspended Hancuff’s license for 150 days but granted him a restricted license for any work or medical needs.

Boise-based attorney James Keith Ball, who is representing Hancuff, said the conviction was a “very serious situation” and that Hancuff was taking it seriously. Ball said Hancuff has been dealing with some personal issues that contributed to the circumstances of his arrest, but that he wasn’t making any excuses for Hancuff’s behavior.

Hancuff has been diagnosed with stage two cancer and recently had surgery, Ball told the court, adding that Hancuff’s father died earlier this year.

Kimball said he’s seen a lot of officers testify in court, and that a lot of the young officers look to Hancuff as a role model. He added that he didn’t believe Hancuff would be back in court on a secondary DUI and that his court-ordered evaluations showed he was at a low risk of reoffending.

Hancuff recognized for DUI arrests

Hancuff is a part of the police department’s Night STEP team, or Selected Traffic Enforcement Program, which focuses on the city’s DUI arrests, according to the city’s website. He’s made more than 3,500 DUI arrests throughout his career and was recognized by Mothers Against Drunk Drivers in April 2021.

“There’s something I will learn from this, and I believe it will help me, hopefully, assist others to make better decisions than I did that night,” Hancuff said.

Ball said Hancuff was still employed with the police department and the agency plans to work with him.

“That just goes to show you what they are willing to do for him,” Ball said.

Kimball ordered that an ignition interlock device be placed in Hancuff’s personal vehicle for the next year but waived the device for any work vehicles. An interlock device is a breathalyzer that requires the driver to breathe into it before the car starts.

Hancuff during probation also can’t drink or possess alcohol, which Ball said wouldn’t be an issue because Hancuff “hasn’t been drinking.” Kimball added that Hancuff would be allowed to handle alcohol for work, such as when a suspect had an open container.