Doing the right thing

I don't get to say this much, but a cheer for John Leopold:

County Executive John R. Leopold wants to amend ethics laws so police officers can moonlight at restaurants and bingo halls.

This morning, Mr. Leopold said he will initiate an emergency bill that effectively reverses a July 2 ruling that said officers violate the county's ethic code by working in places that serve alcohol.

"I felt that the ruling was not in the public interest," Mr. Leopold said, saying a cop on an off-duty security detail promotes public safety. The bill would continue to prohibit officers from working in bars and also would dissolve a lawsuit the police union filed against the county last week. The ethics ruling led Chief James Teare Sr. to forbid cops from taking jobs at places that serve alcohol.

It is not a perfect bill, because I see no reason for cops not to be able to moonlight at bars, but I am glad to see Leopold and the Council work to rectify this ridiculous decision quickly.