ASPEN, Colo. -- An Aspen police officer has been fired and arrested on alcohol and weapons charges after the chief said he came to work drunk.

Jim Crowley, an 18-year veteran of the Aspen force, was dismissed last week and arrested on suspicion of driving while ability-impaired and prohibited use of a weapon.

Police Chief Richard Pryor said the weapons charge was filed because Crowley had a firearm in his holster at the time he was allegedly intoxicated.

Assistant Police Chief Bill Linn said Crowley smelled of alcohol when he showed up for work at 7:30 a.m., and a preliminary breath screening test allegedly showed he was intoxicated.

The Aspen Daily News cited a source that said the breath test showed an blood-alcohol reading of about 0.1. A few hours later, Crowley's blood alcohol level was allegedly measured at 0.063 by a Breathalyzer test, the newspaper reported.

"I know the question on some people’s minds is this was a drastic action,” Pryor told the Aspen Times. "But the distinction for me is this was behavior that is not acceptable. This was a safety issue and not something I could live with."

Attorney Lawson Wills said Crowley went to work hung over and had not been drinking before work. Wills also says no one saw Crowley driving, even though his car was found parked outside the police department.

Wills says he is providing legal advice to Crowley as a friend but will not be his attorney in court proceedings.

According to the Aspen Police Department’s Policy and Procedure Manual : "Any excessive use of alcohol while on or off duty which brings or tends to bring discredit or disrepute to the Department shall subject the member to disciplinary action. Members on duty found intoxicated shall be subject to immediate suspension pending an investigation."