By Kory Reynolds —
I try not to watch too much news on television. It”s not a “cop” thing; it”s just that I really don”t care for it. Many positive and inspiring events happen every day, which if aired more frequently, would be very uplifting to society. Unfortunately, we are overserved, as it were, with a large pint of violence, crime, and bad politics with a twist of “spin” to make the story more interesting.
Thank goodness I did happen to catch a segment the other day which I thought was both interesting as well as educational. It was regarding the Preliminary Alcohol Screening Device (PASD) otherwise know as a “breath machine” which is used for measuring the amount of alcohol present in one”s blood stream. The PASD is a portable breath machine used by police officers in the field.
If you missed the segment, let me fill you in. It dealt with a police agency that was not properly calibrating their PASDs. The PASD must be tested regularly to ensure accuracy. The manner in which the story unfolded made it seem as if thousands of arrests for driving under the influence (DUI) would be overturned. This is just not the case. If the PASD was the sole-basis for an officer making a DUI arrest, as the story would have you believe, then I would agree; however, the PASD is just one of several tools that an officer relies upon prior to making the decision to take a person into custody for DUI. It starts with the officer”s observations such as drifting over the center line, running a stop sign and following too close ? these are all good reasons for an officer to pull over a driver to check his or her sobriety. Next are the symptoms of intoxication, such as red, watery eyes; slurred speech; impaired balance and coordination during the field sobriety tests, and finally, the results of the PASD. The totality of these, not merely one, will help the officer determine if a person is DUI. If it walks like a drunk, and quacks like a duck, it”s probably a drunken duck! But seriously, I have been in law enforcement a long time and one thing I know for certain is that a sober person can easily spot someone who is drunk. Everyone knows what I”m talking about. The real problem is the person who is at .08 or just above (it is unlawful for any person who has .08 percent or more of alcohol in his or her blood to drive a vehicle). These people are usually not stumbling and their speech may not be slurred. They are the hardest to evaluate. You”ve seen DUI ads refer to this as “buzzed driving.” For this reason, officers administer several tests and use the PASD to assist them to make the right decision. Once an arrest is made, chemical testing of his or her blood incidental to a lawful arrest is required by law.
I was invited by the Lakeport Kiwanis Club to speak last week. An honor to which I am truly thankful! Because of the inclement weather we have been experiencing, we talked about California Vehicle Code section 24400, which states that a motor vehicle must be operated with both headlamps “on” during inclement weather conditions requiring the windshield wipers to be in continuous use because of rain, mist, snow, fog, or other precipitation. Additionally, we discussed section 21809 or the “Slow down, move over” law, which requires a person driving a vehicle on a freeway approaching a stationary emergency vehicle that is displaying emergency lights, or a stationary Caltrans vehicle or tow truck displaying flashing amber warning lights, to slow down, approach with caution, and look to an officer for direction. Absent other direction by an officer, drivers are required to move over one lane, preferably two lanes, and pass by safely. Because we only have a small portion of freeway in Lake County we don”t see this very often but be aware when you travel outside of Lake County.
Lastly, I would like to mention that the “Every 15 Minutes” program was presented at Middletown High School last week. Unique in its design and powerful in its impact, “Every 15 Minutes” is an educational experience that reminds us all of the dangers associated with driving while impaired and sending text messages. The crash is staged, the emotions are real. This is the first time I was directly involved in the planning and coordination of the event. I learned a great deal and wanted to share with you what a great program it really is. If you haven”t experienced it for yourself, make plans to attend the next program. I took my wife to see the program and she would tell you it really hits home and touches you. I want to thank the Middletown community, especially Middletown High School for doing such an outstanding job!
Kory Reynolds is the Public Information Officer for the California Highway Patrol, Clear Lake Area.
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