Northwest Indiana officer returns to full duty after drunken driving arrest

LAKE COUNTY, Ind. - A northwest Indiana officer who was arrested on a drunken driving charge last week has returned to full duty, according to the Lake County Sheriff's Department. 

What we know:

The department announced Wednesday that it completed an internal administrative review into the Jan. 30 arrest of Officer Thaddeus Bilski, who was charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated.

Following the arrest, Bilski was placed on administrative leave while the review was conducted. 

Thaddeus Bilski (Lake County Sheriff)

The department said he was later suspended without pay for three days and ordered to complete additional training.

The sheriff’s department said its internal review is separate from the criminal court process.

What they're saying:

"While no one is perfect, we hold our officers to a high standard both on and off duty.  In this case, we determined the off-duty conduct was inappropriate and addressed it through disciplinary action consistent with department policy. Officer Bilski has otherwise demonstrated a good record of service to the community," the department said in part. 

What's next:

The criminal case related to Bilski’s arrest remains pending. The department said it will continue to monitor the case and take additional administrative action if warranted.