In any professional workplace, especially one tasked with upholding the law, there’s an unspoken expectation of accountability, integrity, and, well… common sense.
So why, in 2025, is Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker still allowing alcohol at office-related events, even after an assistant prosecutor was arrested for drunk driving following one?
That’s not hyperbole. That’s documented fact.
According to a 2017 report from MLive (source), former Assistant Prosecutor Josh Kuiper was driving drunk after attending a retirement party for a former prosecutor. He crashed into a parked car, injuring the man inside. Witnesses stated he had been drinking at The Waldron House, a location tied to the official celebration. Despite the arrest and the embarrassment that followed, clutch recently discovered that alcohol is still a fixture at office events…but off the clock so the county can’t get sued.
By his own admission, Chris Becker has worked in the Prosecutor’s Office for over two decades, meaning he knew about this case and likely helped set the current office policy.
Prosecutor’s offices are not frat houses. They are taxpayer-funded agencies responsible for enforcing the law and protecting the public. And yet, the Kent County Prosecutor’s Office seems stuck in a culture where alcohol at official events is still normalized, even after it’s led to literal criminal charges.
Why This Still Matters
It’s not about moralizing over a glass of wine or a beer at a retirement party. This is about leadership and liability.
When your office has already dealt with the significant fallout of a drunk driving incident involving one of its own attorneys, continuing to serve alcohol at office events is not just tone-deaf.
It’s dangerous.
Imagine being a survivor of DUI-related violence, watching your county’s top law enforcement agency treat alcohol-fueled parties like business as usual. Imagine being a taxpayer, wondering why lessons from a very public mistake didn’t stick. Or imagine being the next person injured when someone else leaves one of these functions too drunk to drive.
The Legal and Ethical Problem
Even if prosecutors are “off the clock,” the line between professional and personal conduct doesn’t magically disappear. If someone gets drunk at an office-sponsored event, especially one honoring former employees or held during the workday, the office is still responsible for creating the conditions.
Chris Becker’s failure to put clear policy in place banning alcohol at workplace functions speaks to a broader issue of judgment. A public office that wields so much power must be held to the highest standard, not the lowest common denominator.
Time for Accountability
This is a public safety issue. And it’s one the Kent County Prosecutor’s Office has failed to address for years.
If Chris Becker can’t lead his office with the clarity and discipline required to prevent preventable tragedies, he shouldn’t be leading it at all.
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