LA MESA, Calif. -- The La Mesa City Council voted to hold a special meeting to address concerns that Mayor Art Madrid got preferential treatment from city police.

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Tempers flared at the City Council's meeting Tuesday night as citizens and officials discussed the incident.

Last Wednesday night a caller to 911 said he saw a car idling on Chicago Drive, near Denver Drive.

"And about three minutes ago, the guy opened the door and fell out, stumbled out and is laying in the sidewalk ... And there's somebody on the driver's side that appears to be keeled over," the caller said, according to 911 dispatch records.

Police officers said when they arrived, they found Mayor Madrid intoxicated on the sidewalk and a female city employee in the driver's seat of a car that was legally parked. Officers drove the mayor home and unlocked his door for him.

"Demand Art Madrid's resignation! It's overdue," one man said at Tuesday night's council meeting, the first since the incident.

During the public comment period, the mayor's supporters said he should have a chance to speak. And he did.

"The incident was one that was unfortunate for me. I was embarrassed and humiliated, and I apologize to the citizens of La Mesa through the media. And I promise it will never happen again," Madrid said. "As far as I'm concerned, that issue is closed simply because I've already confessed to the citizens of La Mesa."

"He's a nice guy, and he does well," Madrid supporter Byron Reed said after the meeting. "He's got his warts like everybody else, but all in all, he's done well by the city of La Mesa."

But others insisted this is a case of preferential treatment.

"I used to drink in my younger years and on more than one occasion walking home from the bar -- not laying passed out anywhere, just walking home -- I was picked up and thrown in jail -- quite a few times," Michael Harpole said.

Harpole said that he was never offered a ride home by police.

"Clearly, from what the officers said, they believed the mayor was intoxicated and could have been taken into what's called civil protective custody," La Mesa Police Chief Alan Lanning said. "I met with the officers personally. They assured me they handled this case as they would have with anyone else. I take the officers at their word."

The City Council plans to meet to discuss the issue Thursday. Lanning said he would cooperate with any inquiry that may come out of that meeting.

Previous Story:

• February 26, 2008: Mayor Given Special Treatment By Cops?