Officers can draw blood for DUI cases

NAMPA (AP) - Police in Nampa have 11 officers trained to take blood samples from suspected drunken drivers.

Most departments typically call a paramedic or take a DUI suspect to a medical clinic for a blood draw.

Nampa Police Sgt. Jamie Burns said having its own officers qualified to draw blood often saves time and allows the department to modify the process to their needs. These situations can also be potentially dangerous, and officers are trained to deal with uncooperative, violent subjects, he noted.

Also, blood draws have some advantages over mandatory alcohol breath tests.

Officers can't force uncooperative people to take mandatory alcohol breath tests, since those who don't want to blow won't do it, he said.

But with a warrant from a judge and officers to keep the situation under control, the police department's phlebotomists - or people trained to trained to draw blood from a patient - can get a blood sample every time, even if the subject is unwilling.

The officers are trained in phlebotomy at the College of Western Idaho.

Nampa authorities get a warrant from a Canyon County judge before taking a sample from a suspect, the Press-Tribune reported.