To view our videos, you need to
enable JavaScript. Learn how.
install Adobe Flash 9 or above. Install now.

Then come back here and refresh the page.

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. -- A Schenectady police officer is out of a job after finding himself on the wrong side of the law. Mayor Brian Stratton announced Monday that Officer Darren Lawrence has been terminated.

Lawrence had been under a year-long departmental investigation for criminal misconduct. He got into trouble several times over the past few years and in different incidents since 2006 has been accused of drunk driving, leaving the scene of an accident and getting into a bar fight that led to a fight with responding officers.

Mayor Stratton had said in the past that he expects the city's police to be role models and won't tolerate bad behavior.

"We must and we do hold our police officers to the highest possible standards," Stratton said. "The public has a right to depend on the absolute integrity of its police officers, not just when they are on duty, but also when they are not. And when a police officer falls short of those expectations, society has the right to expect public officials to safeguard their rights and to discipline or remove that officer."

Stratton said though the investigation was lengthy, he believes it was necessary to make sure that right decision was made.