Aurora Police Department Officer Nathan Meier (pictured) will not face criminal charges after he was found passed out drunk in his patrol car while on duty last March

A Colorado police officer who passed out behind the wheel of his patrol vehicle in the middle of the street after downing a bottle of vodka will not face criminal charges.

Arapahoe County District Attorney George Brauchler revealed Wednesday that his office is unable to bring DUI charges against Officer Nathan F Meier because the Aurora Police Department intentionally conducted its investigation in a way that would shield the officer.

Meier was armed and on duty when he was found slumped in the front seat of his unmarked Ford Taurus just before 4pm on March 29, 2019.

Officers responding to a 911 call about the 'unresponsive' officer could be heard on body camera footage saying that they smelled alcohol on him, but his blood alcohol level was never tested.

Meier later admitted that he'd gone home during his shift and drank a bottle of vodka, confessing that he was 'impaired' when he passed out.

Still, the Aurora Police Department (APD) insisted there was not enough evidence to press charges against him.

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Arapahoe County District Attorney George Brauchler (pictured) accused the Aurora Police Department of intentionally shielding Meier from DUI charges by ignoring 'damning' evidence that he was drunk, including the fact that he smelled of booze

Meier was armed and on duty when he was found slumped in the front seat of his unmarked Ford Taurus just before 4pm on March 29, 2019, as seen in body camera footage

Brauchler's office launched a review of Meier's actions and the subsequent investigation by Aurora police in December.

The district attorney revealed the results of that review in an interview with CBS4 on Wednesday afternoon, prior to holding an official press conference on the matter the following day.

He explained that he could not access medical records which may indicate that Meier was intoxicated.

'Yes there is damning evidence that convinces me that this guy was drunk behind the wheel, but it's evidence I don't get to use in a criminal case against him because it was compelled or protected by physician-patient privilege,' Brauchler said.

He went on to accuse the APD of giving Meier preferential treatment due to his badge.

'At the end of the day, I think this guy beats the system and part of the system helped him do it,' he said.

'I think if instead of a uniformed police officer in a marked patrol vehicle in the middle of the street, it had been Jane Q Lunchpail, I think this thing is handled differently.

'Did they treat this incident and this person the way they would have treated anyone else? The answer that I have come to is no they did not.'

Brauchler, whose office opened a review of the Meier case in December, told CBS4 that he couldn't press charges because he can't access medical records which may indicate that the officer was intoxicated at the time of the incident

An incident report from Aurora police stated that Meier's patrol car was in the middle of Mississippi Avenue with the engine still running when fellow officers found him incapacitated in the front seat.

He was 'disorientated' and unresponsive when Aurora Fire Rescue officials instructed him to open the door, leaving them no choice but to break to passenger-side window to gain access to the car.

As officials were working to remove Meier's gun and taser, several of them 'reported smelling the odor of an unknown alcoholic beverage' on the officer, including the police department's Deputy Chief Paul O'Keefe.

Despite the discovery, a blood draw was never carried out on Meier to test his blood-alcohol level at the scene.

Footage from the incident also shows that several officers switched off their body cameras as comments that Meier was intoxicated were being made - a possible bid to protect their drunken colleague from facing any criminal charges.

In his report, O'Keefe wrote that he briefly reentered the car before it was removed from the scene and claimed not to have smelled the odor of alcohol again, leading to believe Meier was suffering from 'some other medical episode', rather than intoxication.

O'Keefe added that he originally requested a traffic officer respond to the hospital to investigate a possible DUI, but 'based on the lack of information, my own observations, the fact that the car was stopped (ignition on) with no motor vehicle accident or driving observations, and the lack of any additional evidence (no other noted smells, no bloodshot watery eyes, physical impairment inconsistent with my experience with DUI), it was decided that no testing would be completed at that time.'

Rather charge him for DUI, the department labeled what occurred as a 'medical event' and Meier was transported to an area hospital, then sent home, citing a lack of evidence to press charges.

Footage from the incident shows that several officers switched off their body cameras as discussions that Meier was intoxicated were taking place - a possible bid to protect their drunken colleague from facing any criminal charges

Meier was 'disorientated' and unresponsive to instructions from the Aurora Fire Rescue to open to door of the vehicle, leaving officials no choice but for the department the break to passenger-side window to gain access to car

When authorities were working to remove Meier's gun and taser from his person, several off the officers 'reported smelling the odor of an unknown alcoholic beverage' on Meier, including the police department's Deputy Chief Paul O'Keefe

However, during a subsequent investigation carried out by the internal affairs summary, Meier later admitted that he had gone home and drank 'vodka from a bottle' mid-shit and confessed he had been 'impaired by the alcohol' when officers found him

However, during a subsequent investigation carried out by the internal affairs summary, Meier later admitted that he had gone home and drank 'vodka from a bottle' mid-shit and confessed he had been 'impaired by the alcohol' when officers found him.

The summary also said Meier told police he 'had no recollection of anything else until he woke up in the hospital.'

The internal affairs investigation concluded that Meier violated four department policies, including alcohol impairment, neglect of duty, conduct unbecoming and 'conformance to law'.

Officials did not disclose discipline was imposed as a result.

Court records show that no criminal DUI or DWAI charges were ever filed against Meier, nor were any other criminal counts.

It's believe that Meier was demoted as a result of the incident, however, he remains employed by the Aurora PD.

In December, Larimer County Sheriff Justin Smith blasted Aurora police, saying he was appalled by the department's actions.

'I'm one of the loudest defenders of America's men and women in blue when they are unfairly criticized for doing a very difficult job,' Smith began. 'However, I have no tolerance for misconduct or cover up.'

But Crystal McCoy, a spokesperson for the Aurora Police Department, told CBS4 when fellow officers arrived on the scene, 'it wasn't clear what was going on with him'.

She said Meier could have been experiencing a diabetic episode or a stroke, and, although there might have been indications of drinking and driving, McCoy went on to say police did not have the authority to get Meier's blood drawn since there had not been an accident and nobody had been injured.

'He had an unknown medical condition,' McCoy told the network, failing to elaborate further.

Meier later voluntarily provided his medical records to the department, which showed his blood alcohol level was more than five times the legal limit.

Aurora Police Chief Nick Metz also hit back at the claims of a cover-up late last, saying he 'unequivocally' stands by his decisions regarding Meier because he cares 'about the human being who stepped up and owned his incredibly poor decision… and continues to courageously own it.'

Media attention surrounding the case prompted Brauchler to launch his own review in December.

'I don't have any reason to second-guess the Aurora Police Department's conduct in the investigation at this point, but I'm interested in knowing what information exists,' Brauchler said at the time. 'That interest stems from the fact it involves an officer in that agency.'