College Football Police Blotter
A few items of note:
Clemson coach Dabo Swinney was pulled over for speeding while on the way to his weekly radio show a few weeks ago. Swinney was caught going 63 miles an hour in an area where the speed limit is 35, and he said it was because he was late for the show.
Swinney then proceeded to sign autographs in the parking lot of a Bi-Lo (that’s where he was pulled over; his show is held at the store) while the officer wrote him up. Swinney then took his citation and went inside to do the show.
The officer who pulled him over, Michael McClatchy, took to the internet a few days after this story became public in order to give his version of the events. From the Pickens County Courier:
“[McClatchy] used company equipment at approximately 3:37 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 14, to make a post on Sports247.com, detailing his version of events.
In the posting, the officer said he didn’t plan on posting about the incident, but “wanted to clear the air for all involved.”
The officer said he believed Swinney “thought he would be excused for the violation and continue to his appointment.” He said Swinney and his brother were asked to have a seat in the vehicle, which they did not. The officer also said the Bi-lo store manager approached him and told him a city official was on the phone and would like to speak with him, but the officer declined.
According to the officer, Swinney’s brother said that he was a retired Alabama police officer with more than 30 years of experience and asked the officer to take the fact into consideration.
After placing the citation in his vehicle, the officer said, Swinney gave the officer “what I would call an unfriendly glare, shook his head and proceeded to enter Bi-lo.” The officer said after Swinney entered the store, his brother once again approached the officer, expressing disappointment in his actions as a police officer.
The posting was later removed from the website.”
McClatchy was fired Monday, Sept. 17 for violating the city computer policy, the code of ethics, and general orders. For his part, Swinney paid his fine and apologized in a letter.
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