Officers able to become certified in phlebotomy practices
Press Release February 25, 2022
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – The Dawson County Sheriff’s Office shared the background of the program offering officers new opportunities on social media:
The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety has implemented a new program enabling law enforcement officers to become certified in phlebotomy practices. Officers participating in the phlebotomy program will each undergo online training and classroom training. West Georgia Technical College initially provided the training under the supervision of the Phlebotomy Program Director. Upon successful completion, officers possess the same qualifications as phlebotomists who work in hospitals, doctor’s offices and other licensed medical facilities in the state of Georgia.
Implementation of law enforcement phlebotomy program in Georgia
Arizona is credited with starting the nation’s first law enforcement phlebotomy program in 1995 with other states, including Texas, Minnesota, Colorado, Maine, Idaho, Washington, and Utah also having successfully established similar programs. Georgia is the 13th state to implement this program.
Under Georgia law, law enforcement can only obtain a blood draw of a suspected DUI driver if an individual consents, or a search warrant is obtained. The U.S. Supreme Court has held that police can draw blood evidence when a suspected drunken or drugged driver is unconscious as well.
The need, authorities say, is because blood tests are more accurate than breathalyzers. Advocates have also said that the latest Covid-19 surge has EMS and hospitals overwhelmed, oftentimes leading to a delay in a blood draw. With alcohol, the content in the blood decreases by 0.0125-0.015 grams per hour. Plus, breathalyzers do not measure the presence of drugs.
DCSO HEAT Deputy Provost graduated from Georgia’s very first LEO phlebotomy class with 15 others from around the state. This step allows him to perform blood draws at the Dawson County Detention Center rather than transporting suspects to other medical care facilities, saving both time and money.
On February 17, Deputy Provost performed DCSO’s very first blood draw on an individual suspected of DUI Drugs. We appreciate the dedication and continued learning of our deputies who work hard for Dawson County citizens.
If interested in viewing the original post, readers can visit https://www.facebook.com/Dawson.Co.Sheriff.
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