Greenwood officer involved in controversy leaving post

The police officer whose confrontation with members of the public outside a restaurant led to changes in the leadership of the Greenwood Police Department is leaving his job.

Officer Nick Dine has resigned, effective Monday, citing personal reasons, Police Chief John Laut said.

Dine will leave his job less than a year after he fought to keep it in a high-profile disciplinary case that led to an overhaul of department leadership, the clearing of a backlog of disciplinary cases and tougher internal rules, including that officers can’t be intoxicated in public whether on or off duty.

In 2010, Dine got into a confrontation with people who questioned him for leaving his baby unattended in his car while he checked on the wait time of two restaurants on State Road 135.

Police said he made profane remarks to the people, displayed a gun and declared that he was the police when they threatened to call police.

When other officers arrived and after he was taken back to the police station, he refused to take a blood-alcohol test. He later testified that he had been on leave to be treated for alcohol abuse, had just completed rehab that day and celebrated by drinking.

Last year, the Greenwood Police Merit Commission suspended Dine and required him to attend weekly Alcoholics Anonymous meetings unless excused by the police chief. The board also decided to put Dine under a zero-alcohol tolerance policy and gave the chief the authority to test him for alcohol at any time.

Any violations of those terms would have been cause for immediate termination. He also was required to pay for an anger management test and evaluation.