Special treatment for "special people"

Los Angeles, California county employee Robert Andrew Moran recently pleaded no contest to charges of drunk driving as well as plowing his county-issued SUV into another vehicle early one morning, injuring the two innocent occupants that happened to be inside the car.

Of course, since he's Deputy Sheriff Robert Andrew Moran, he's apparently not going to have to spend even one day in jail for his crimes:

"A Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department deputy was sentenced today to six months on home confinement for injuring two people after crashing into their car while driving under the influence of alcohol. " (All emphases mine)

Not to worry, though. Judge Erick Larsh "also placed Moran on three years informal probation and ordered him to enroll in a three-month first offender program to include facing a Mothers Against Drunk Driving panel".

That's throwing the book at him, Your Honor. What's "informal probation", anyway? We've never even heard of such a thing. We're guessing it means that should Moran keep his nose clean during that period his conviction will be completely scrubbed from his record.

Naturally, it also appears that Moran is probably going to retain his position with the department, despite admitting to the exact destructive behavior he's sworn to combat:

"Vicki Podberersky, Moran's attorney, said this morning that her client has already served most of his time on home confinement. She said he was placed on unpaid leave from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department when charges were filed against him, but he will seek reinstatement."

We're sure the good peasants of LA County just can't wait to see Moran's smiling face the next time they're inconvenienced at an unconstitutional DUI roadblock.