Posted on 12/29/2007 7:41:14 PM PST by Eric Blair 2084
Drunken drivers, consider yourself warned: The cops will be out for blood.
Motorists on Fort Worth roads who refuse to take a breath test after being stopped for suspected drunken driving on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day will have their blood drawn to determine whether they are impaired.
"If you refuse to take that blood test, we are going to ask for a warrant from a magistrate and come back and take your blood," said Fort Worth Police Chief Ralph Mendoza. "Basically, we are going to get our evidence one way or the other."
For the first time, Fort Worth police are launching a DWI No Refusal campaign in an effort to keep drunken drivers off the roads during the holiday.
In a news conference Friday morning, Mendoza, along with officials from the Tarrant County district attorney's office, Dalworthington Gardens, and Mothers Against Drunk Driving warned motorists not to get behind the wheel if they have imbibed.
"If you are stopped by a Fort Worth police officer and you are arrested for DWI, we are going to get a sample," said prosecutor Richard Alpert, who specializes in the prosecution of DWI and intoxication manslaughter cases. "We are going to get the evidence we need in court to prove your guilt. There is no way around it."
Defense attorney Abe Factor who routinely defends those arrested for DWI, said he believes that the campaign is little more than a publicity ploy and that the results will be lackluster, partly because the process will take time and many will score below the legal limit of 0.08.
"To me, it's more sizzle than steak," he said. "It's a good for thing for them to have a press conference over, but the numbers are going to be fairly small. If they stop someone who is really intoxicated, they are going to have them videotaped all over the place anyway."
The idea for the no refusal holiday came from senior prosecutor Lloyd Whelchel of the Tarrant County district attorney's office.
Whelchel recently attended a training seminar and reminded officials that authorities in El Paso and Harris County had similar programs in place.
The campaign will run from 8 p.m. Monday to 5 a.m. Tuesday and from 8 p.m. Tuesday to 5 a.m. Wednesday. If a Fort Worth police officer pulls over a suspected drunken driver who refuses a breath test, the officer will seek a search warrant from a magistrate.
The suspect will then be taken to a room at the Fort Worth Police Department, where at least three officers with Dalworthington Gardens Public Safety Department will be on hand to take their blood.
You skipped the Breathalyzer step.
Wow. Is this really true?
This is mega bad stuff, very WW-2 Germany if you catch my drift ....
How come a womans body is hers alone under the law but mine is govt property?
Back in the day - when I was gainfully employed, the company I worked for had an annual hearing exam for all employees. The person giving the exam asked some relevant questions, have you been exposed to loud noises etc. Then would ask if you smoked. She asked me if I smoked and I told her no.
She said, “there’s a pack of cigarettes in your shirt pocket”.
I told her I was just holding them for a friend.
She failed to see the humor.
L0L! effem
I understand , but what if you’re not drunk and the cop says you are and you know the cop is just harrassing you ?
Do you comply ?
Not = Now
They wont be happy till they know everything about all of us
Hehehe ...nice
Then the breathalyzer will show you are sober.
I actually don’t like the DNA stuff either.
Good point ....
Yes.
Just DA~ing L0L
I wonder if they would do it to illegals ?
I’m sure they would.
Never know with things like this ...
I can’t believe what i’m seeing on this thread as far as compliance ...thought I was being DA’ed
“Insanity . I wonder if MADD is behind this ?”
Of course MADD is behind this - MADD is an evil attacker when it comes to your rights and mine under Constitutional Law.
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