Ascension : Police Activity Report
Submitted by The Islander (Police Ascension) 10.07.2008 (Article Archived on 24.07.2008)

Last week there were a mention of the Lion Intoxilyzer 8000 encompass with the Lion Alcolmeters 500 and the Speed laser SL 700 legislation has now been passed for enactment?

Last week there were a mention of the Lion Intoxilyzer 8000 encompass with the Lion Alcolmeters 500 and the Speed laser SL 700 legislation has now been passed for enactment? I think it is imperative that you are given some basic principles on the operational use and requirements of both instruments. The Intoxilyzer and the Lion Alcolmeter 500 replaces the Lion Alcolmeters SD2. The procedures are the same for the requirement in supplying a specimen of breath i.e.  (Driving) (Attempting to drive) (Being in charge of) A motor vehicle on road or public place in the following context:

• Whilst over the prescribe limit
• Having committed a traffic offence whilst the vehicle was in motion
• At the time the vehicle was involved in a road traffic accident.

However there are some slight operating procedures with this version of the Lion Alcolmeter 500. Just to explain some of the points that is initially required by the Police Officer administering the test. In the likely event you are involved in a road traffic accident or having committed a moving road traffic offence, whereby you are required to supply a specimen of breath for analysis. The first step is the field test using the Lion Alcolmeter 500.  These devices are innovative and are design to assist the officer through the process. There are no lights to be illuminated indicating that you have blown hard and long enough to provide a satisfactory specimen of breath. Of course you will need to blow in a manner in which to provide the specimen.  You do not have to blow very hard; a long moderate breath is all that is required. The officer administering the test will encourage you to blow until the sample has being taken. During this process a continuous bleep will be heard, follow by a double bleep, which indicates the sample has being taken. There will however be cases of invalid breath samples, in which case the subject has not blow long enough or sucks back while blowing, the display will flashes insufficient specimen. If the subject blows properly, but then sucks back as or just after the sample is taken the following appears: suck back detected. In this case the subject should also be warned ‘not to try to beat or fool the instrument’. They must of course also be warned about the consequences of failure to provide. On the LCD will be displayed fit mouthpiece take sample. On providing the specimen of breath the device will now analyse the result. Once the specimen has being analyse, the test result should either display as zero, pass, warn or fail.   For instance, the pass signal is displayed which means that you have consumed a small amount of alcohol. If the warn signal is displayed this means that you have consumed some alcohol, but not to the extent of being over the prescribe limit. In this case you will be warned that your Blood Alcohol Concentration is still rising and you are considered not safe to drive. You are advise to adhere to this and if you’re subsequently involve in another road traffic accident or stop by the police for committing a moving road traffic offence, you shall be required to supply another specimen of breath. The likely chances are that you may be over the prescribe limit. In order to avoid being breath tested twice on the same day you are advised to cease driving. In the event you have failed the test, which means that your are now suspected to be over the prescribe limit. The officer administering the test has the power to arrest on reasonable suspicion of being over the prescribe limit and require you to supply two further specimens of breath on the Intoxilyzer at the Police Station. After arrest you will be taken before the Custody Officer, where the normal procedures apply of having you process. Once process you will then be required to supply two specimens of breath on the Intoxilyzer for evidential purposes. There are a series of questions in which you need to answer before the test is administered, of which will be recorded on a Performa record. The answers are fairly straight forward, YES/NO.  The suspects full name, DOB, address and occupation. The officer will make a recording of the suspect’s demeanour as this can assist the officer in their report writing.  You will then be asked  have you in the last twenty minutes since the alleged offence, consumed any alcohol, used any mouth spray, used any mouth wash, used any medication, eaten anything, inhaled anything, and taken anything or brought anything up from the stomach. It is important that these points are clarified before administering the test; otherwise the officer has to wait for 20 minutes before the test is administered. If the suspect was exposed to CS spray they must wait for 30 minutes before supplying the test. The basic requirement for providing the test, is relax take a deep breath, place the mouthpiece in your mouth and make a good seal around it with your lips. Then blow steadily and evenly until you are told to stop. Do not hesitate as you blow, just blow evenly and naturally until you are told to stop.  You will have three minutes in which to supply the test. The test device has been programme to give out two printouts of the lowest reading, which will be relied upon for evidential purposes. You may ask what has happen to the other result. This result will be noted by the officer administering the test which cycles through a process when the specimens of breath are analyse. Both results will then be compared to determine the variance of 15%. If the results are within the15% variance you will then be charge and bail to appear before the court. In the event the results are outside 15% variance the procedure shall be terminated. However if the suspects demeanour appears to the officer, as unfit to drive through drink or drugs they also can be charged. The device shall printout out two copies of the lower of the results, where you will be asked if you wish to have a copy. It would be important that you request a copy, to indicate that you are over the prescribe limit and if your are represented by a Lay Advocate, you can produce the copy of your results. The other copy will be retained for our records. In respect of hospital patients who have being involved in a traffic accident, the Intoxilyzer is a mobile device and supplied with a two hour power pack. The device can be taken to the hospital where you can supply the specimen of breath directly, without having to perform the field test. Remember the field test is for the officers guidance in making a decision to ascertain whether you are under or over the prescribe limit. The Intoxilyzer  8000 is the evidential device. There can be instances when an officer is on duty and you’re suspected of committing a road traffic offence and that the Alcolmeters are not readily available. You can be required to accompany the officer to the police station and provide the specimen directly onto the Intoxilyzer. In some ways this technology has made our job a lot simpler. To avoid being arrested and taken to the station, you are now advise NOT TO DRINK AND DRIVE. Depending on the circumstances of the case, not all will result in arrest, for example hospital patients.   The device shall be calibrated on annual basics by the technicians in Lion Laboratories. A replacement device will be made available during this process.

Now onto the Speed Laser which has been long awaited. There is evidence of speeding on the roads in particular the residential areas. We are now in a position to use this device as proactive measure and as supporting evidence for prosecution purposes. It is not our intention to catch you out, but to create awareness to curd the speeding problem on the island. If you are found to be driving in excess of the speed limits the appropriate action will be taken. Below is a table of contents and the criteria for the speed limits with some leeway of police action that can to be taken. If your vehicle registers in km/h a conversion is submitted for your interest. Observe the speed limit signs and drive well within them.  Well I have said enough, its now all down to you, adhere to the advice given, but do not come into contact with the police under these circumstances. I am sure the flavour given will be of some help to you on the police procedures. If you have any questions that you are unsure of, Pl don’t hesitate and speak to one of the officers. We have a consignment of the conversion tables of mph – km/h. If you would like to have one do call in at the Police Office. It would be appropriate to have this table affixed in a conspicuous location of your vehicle.

Reg Williams

Inspector of Police