Driving Under the Influence Investigations

General Order # 220 1 Tarpon Springs Police Department Driving Under the Influence Investigations General Order # 220 Effective Date: October 1, 2025 Amends: G.O. 220 08/2024 Chief Jeffrey P. Young 220.01 POLICY The Tarpon Springs Police Department recognizes that many traffic accidents, particularly those involving fatalities and personal injury, are directly attributable to persons driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. It shall be the policy of the Tarpon Springs Police Department to deter persons under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs from driving; and to vigorously enforce the applicable laws of the State of Florida regarding driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs or both. 220.02 PURPOSE The purpose of this policy is to ensure that the Tarpon Springs Police Department will comply with the guidelines set by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement concerning techniques, methods, and testing equipment used to determine the alcohol content of persons arrested for driving under the influence. This general order establishes uniform procedures regarding the arrest and chemical testing of Impaired persons driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs or both. 220.03 DEFINITIONS BAC --Blood Alcohol Content BrAC --Breath Alcohol Content B.T.O. --Breath Test Operator DRE --Drug Recognition Expert -a law enforcement officer trained to identify people whose driving is impaired by drugs other than, or in addition to, alcohol. D.U.I. -- Driving Under the Influence of alcohol or drugs or both F.D.L.E/ATP --Florida Department of Law Enforcement Alcohol Testing Department S.F.S.T -- Standardized Field Sobriety tests as defined by current, published NHTSA guidelines. N.H.S.T.A. --National Highway Transportation Safety Administration HGN --Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus OLS --On Leg Stand test WAT --Walk and Turn test General Order # 220 2 220.04 PROCEDURE An officer making a traffic stop on a vehicle suspected of being operated by a impaired . driver shall notify the communications operator of the initiation of a D.U.I. investigation. The communications operator shall dispatch a second unit if one is available. When the second unit arrives on the scene, the investigating officer shall begin the official D.U.I. investigation, (i.e. field sobriety, interview, etc.) The second officer shall serve as both a back -up officer and independent witness to the investigation and condition of the suspect. If the stopping officer is not a breath test operator, he wil l conduct the investigation at the scene and effect the arrest, if necessary. The breath test operator will respond to the testing facility to conduct the breath test. 220.031 Officers may also be in situation where a traffic stop is not involved, such as a crash investigation or a welfare check of a driver. Officers must be able to make the determination if the subject was driving or in actual physical control of a vehicle. 220.04 Field Sobriety Tests (SFSTs) - The purpose of the field sobriety tests is to determine if the subject’s normal faculties are impaired to the extent where they should not be operating a vehicle. Suspects who are impaired to the extent they are incapable of standing or walking unaided should not be asked to perform any physical field sobriety tests. The signs and symptoms displayed, when properly documented, are sufficient to support probable cause for arrest. The SFSTs will be conducted on scene whenever possible utilizing a vehicle with an in-car video/audio recording system and the officer(s) Body Worn Camera system. The system will be utilized to record the on-scene field sobriety exercises. 220.041 All persons suspected of D.U.I. will be asked to perform SFSTs as established by current, published NHTSA guidelines unless the physical condition of the suspect would preclude performing the tests safely. It is important officers question the suspected DUI driver about his/her medical condition(s) prior to administering the SFSTs. Areas of concern to officers should be physical handicaps or injuries, illnesses such as Diabetes, Dementia and Alzheimer’s and if the person is taking any medication(s). Persons over the age of 65, significantly overweight or persons with back, leg or inner ear problems may have difficulty performing the One Leg Stand (OLS) and / or the Walk and Turn (WAT) test. These persons should be questioned as to the extent of their abilities and make the proper determination as to performing the test(s) or not. 220.05 SFSTs consist of the following tests in this order: 1. HGN test 2. WAT test; 3. OLS test; ALTERNATIVE TESTS 4. Finger -to- Nose test; 5. Romberg balance or Alphabet/Counting test. OPTIONAL TEST 1.