Butner, N.C. — An off-duty trooper who was pulled over last month on a suspicion of driving while impaired and two Butner police officers who handled the stop have been fired, a spokesman for the North Carolina Department of Crime Control and Public Safety said Thursday.

Highway Patrol Capt. James Williams Jr. was dismissed for personal conduct violations, spokesman Ernie Seneca said. Butner Public Safety Capt. Walter B. Williams and Lt. Daniel C. Parrott were dismissed for job performance and personal conduct violations.

According to police reports and police radio communications, one of the officers stopped James Williams on Interstate 85 near Butner in the early-morning hours of April 3. Instead of taking action against Williams, the officers dropped him off at a motel.

“We take these matters very seriously and will not tolerate this type of conduct,” Highway Patrol Commander Col. Randy Glover said in a statement. "The Highway Patrol is built upon the highest standards of ethical conduct and professionalism. We expect and demand that all employees, from troopers to supervisors, whether on duty or off duty, abide by the laws of our state and the rules of our organization.”

Recordings indicate that the Butner officers communicated with other public safety personnel on the matter, including Maj. Anthony Moss, who had to be awakened in the middle of the night.

Moss has been suspended with pay, pending the outcome of an ongoing internal investigation.

“These two officers’ failure to enforce the law and abide by their oaths of office was a betrayal of the public’s trust and Butner Public Safety’s commitment to serve and protect the citizens of this community,” Butner Public Safety Chief Wayne Hobgood said in a statement. “Our officers are held to a high standard, and they will perform their duties honestly, fairly and with integrity. The public and I expect no less.”