A long time deputy on the Miami County Sheriff's Department is relieved of  his duties effective immediately for "misconduct."

He is Douglas Byers of near Bradford, a 15 year veteran of the sheriff's department.

The dismissal is the result of  a pre-disciplinary hearing to include all evidence, reports, and statements involving Byers' conduct and subsequent arrest by Piqua police on September 9, 2012, said Miami County Sheriff Charles Cox. "I have substantiated the hearing officer's findings of guilty", wrote Cox in a press release.

"The level of misconduct was so egregious and a ccomplete violation of the public trust and the standards and code of ethics of  the Miami County Sheriff's Office that I had no choice but to dismiss him from his employment as a deputy sheriff," said Cox. The dismissal is effective October 3, 2012.

Last month Piqua police arrested Byers while off-duty for drunk driving, speeding and a left of center violation. Police said Byers because verbally abusive during the process of being arrested, not jailed, and released.

Byers had entered pleas of not guilty to all charges in court. He is free on his own recognizance. Byers refused all tests requested of  him by police at the time of his arrest.

On the cruiser video obtained by NewsCenter 7 from Piqua police, Byers admitted to drinking five beers when asked by the officers "how much have you had to drink, Doug?

Byers can appeal his dismissal.

Byers was arrested in February of  his year for domestic violence in an incident involving  his son. That charge was eventually dismissed in Miami County Municipal Court by a special prosecutor.