The simple answer is, cops wield tremendous, immediately life-changing or ending power over people in a way that no other profession does. Sure, alcoholism is a disease, and being a police officer who’s an alcoholic is dangerous to the public at large, the alcoholic cop, and also to public perceptions. I’d say a cop caught drunk on the job requires consequences, including but not limited to loss of employment as a cop for several years at least. Not just a slap on the wrist.