LA MESA, Calif. -- A La Mesa city councilman has sent a letter to District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis asking for an investigation into whether the city's mayor got special treatment from police, it was reported Friday.

La Mesa Mayor Art Madrid has been under scrutiny since Feb. 20, when he and a city colleague were found apparently drunk in public and given a ride home.

"I believe it would be beneficial to all concerned, including those that may cast doubt upon the credibility of a city-initiated investigation, if your office also conducted an investigation," La Mesa Councilman Dave Allan wrote Dumanis this week, The San Diego Union-Tribune reported.

La Mesa plans to hire an independent investigator to look into the matter regardless of whether the county also investigates, according to the newspaper.

Dumanis has not commented on the request yet, but district attorney's office spokesman Paul Levikow told the newspaper that if charges are filed, they will be public record.

Last week, the entire five-member La Mesa City Council decided against sending a letter asking the district attorney for an investigation but agreed that individual council members could do so.

Allan's letter is supported by fellow council members Ruth Sterling and Ernie Ewin, the Union-Tribune reported.

Madrid has apologized for his actions. He was found lying on the sidewalk near his sport utility vehicle during the incident. City employee Trisha Turner being found slumped behind the wheel of the vehicle.

La Mesa police did not see the pair driving intoxicated because their vehicle was stopped. The pair was about a block away from Madrid's home.

Police Chief Alan Lanning has defended his officers, arguing that the situation warranted a judgment call and the officers could have easily made the same decision for any other La Mesa resident.