This Fourth of July, Oregon Law enforcement agencies will be patrolling the streets for intoxicated drivers. They have a new strategy to test for blood alcohol concentration.
“No Refusal Weekend” allows officers to test suspected impaired drivers, even if they refuse breath testing. This ensures everyone arrested receives a recorded BAC test.
Ryan Stone is a traffic and DUI enforcement police officer:
“We have a judge that’s on call and we have support staff from the district attorney’s office to help us prepare a search warrant. And then we apply for that search warrant. We give all the information to the judge. If the judge finds probable cause, then they authorize a search warrant to be conducted and executed and then we have a phlebotomist take a sample of the person’s blood to be tested to determine their BAC.”
BAC breath test refusals are increasing around the nation. Stone says “No Refusal Weekend” is a new program for Oregon but is used in other parts of the country. He says it’s important to enforce this policy during a weekend like Fourth of July when traffic is higher.
