By Brittany Davenport
Several officers from Kentucky, ranging from local law enforcement to National Forest Service officers, gathered Tuesday to fine tune their DUI standardized field sobriety test skills.
The class is offered through Eastern Kentucky University’s Department of Criminal Justice Training center and is open to any certified officer in the state.
The tests conducted require “different techniques versus when I started,” and the class is a way to “brush up and polish” skills in detecting people who are under the influence of alcohol or drugs, said Samuel Manley, captain over patrol for the Richmond Sheriff’s office and a retired Richmond Police officer.
“Where I worked at Richmond, I was inside, when I came back, now I’m out on the road,” Manley said.
Each 40-hour class averages 25 students with around 500 students participating each year. The class gives officers the opportunity to practice administration of three tests: The horizontal gaze nystagmus, the walk-and-turn and the one-leg stand. The National Highway of Traffic Safety Administration decided in 1981 that the three tests were the best way to determine intoxication, and stipulates the training for the tests be conducted on actual drinkers.
“It gives the students hands on training and lets them see things you just can’t scenario,” said Joe Gilliland, DUI enforcement section instructor.
Four EKU students were paid $50 to drink alcoholic beverages and then be given field sobriety tests by the officers in the class. The participants were required to remain at the testing site until they blew a zero on the breathalyzer test. Participants who were not sober by 7:45 p.m. were paid another $25 for their time, instructors said.
The training is important to help the officers enhance their skills in the field, said drinking participant Rodney Pratt, a graduate student at EKU.
“I’m glad to be able to help, so they can do the job right and keep drunk drivers off the roads. Plus, the extra cash can help pay for a book in the fall,” Pratt said.
To be a subject for the DUI tests candidates must be 21 years of age, have a “pretty clear” medical record, have no alcohol problems, have not consumed alcoholic beverages the day of testing and not have had anything to eat after 9 a.m., Gilliland said.
Those interested in being participants in the testing can call Anna Hudgens at 622-2309.
Brittany Davenport can be reached at 624-6624 or news@richmondregister.com
