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PA CHIEFS OF POLICE ASSOCIATION
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BULLETIN
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WINTER 2016
www.pachiefs.org2017 ANNUAL EDUCATION & TRAINING CONFERENCE
JULY 23-26, 2017
RADISSON HOTEL
1150 Camp Hill Bypass • Camp Hill, PA 17011
BENSALEM POLICE DUI ENFORCEMENT
In September of 2014 the Bensalem
Township Police Department
began to conduct suspected DUI
offender blood draws at their
headquarters. To accomplish this,
Bensalem Police had a secured
room in their prisoner processing
area outfitted with a phlebotomy
chair. The police department
also entered into an agreement
with Bensalem Township EMS
to conduct all blood draws from
suspected DUI offenders at
Bensalem Police headquarters.
The main reasons for the change of transporting DUI suspects
to a hospital for blood draws to conducting the blood draws at
a secured police facility are: safety, police manpower, costs, and
turnaround time.
On September 29, 2005 Newtown Borough Police Officer
Brian Gregg was murdered at St. Mary’s Medical Facility when
a DUI suspect, who had been arrested and taken to the hospital
for a blood draw, was able to take control of another officer’s
service weapon and kill Officer Gregg. This tragic death of
a police officer clearly exemplifies the dangers police officers
and medical personnel encounter when a suspect under the
influence of drugs or alcohol is transported to medical facility
for testing. Keeping a DUI suspect in a secured police facility
avoids this risk.
Secondary to safety, blood draws at a secured police facility
allows for more officers to remain on the street rather than
draining police resources. The typical DUI arrest in Bensalem
only takes an officer an hour compared to two or three hours if
the blood draw was conducted at a hospital. Many departments
require two officers to escort a DUI suspect to a hospital for
testing so this in an additional drain on valuable and costly
manpower. The ultimate goal relating to DUI enforcement is to
remove the threat of intoxicated drivers present to our citizens.
The Bensalem Township Police Department is achieving that
goal as a result of the blood draw program.
There has been a staggering 70% increase in
DUI enforcement in Bensalem Township. In the
first half of 2014 (January 1 to June 30), prior to
the implementation of the blood draws at their
headquarters, Bensalem Police conducted 93 DUI
investigations. Comparably, in the first half of
2015, with blood draws being conducted at their
headquarters, Bensalem Police conducted 158 DUI
investigations. Of particular note, 48% of the DUI
investigations in 2015 involved suspects driving
under the influence of narcotics or a combination
of narcotics and alcohol.
The 70% increase in DUI enforcement in Bensalem Township
has certainly proven the effectiveness of having blood draws
conducted at a secured police facility but more importantly,
this has played a vital role in keeping the motorists and citizens
of Bensalem Township safe.
OnNovember 3, 2016 Hose Bill 2058 was signed into law by the
Governor Wolf after being introduce by Representatives Frank
Farry and Gene DiGirolamo and Senator Tommy Tomlinson.
This will allow all Paramedics in the Commonwealth the
ability under their “Scope Of Practice” to preform blood
Draws for law enforce in accordance with the Statue.
BENSALEM POLICE DUI ENFORCEMENT
WITH BLOOD DRAWS
AT HEADQUARTERS
By Frederick A. Harran, Director
Bensalem Township Police Department