Video: DUI Officers Are Specialized In Detecting Drunk Drivers

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Fun holidays like St. Patty’s Day and big events like the NCAA tournament draw more people to town and out to the bars.

To keep visitors and locals safe, the police department adds to their normal patrol, and extra officers means increased DUI’s.

“On a typical weekend, approximately three to seven DUI arrests. It really depends on the situation and what’s going on in town,” says says Corporal Brandon Lovelady.

Starkville Police Department has two certified DUI officers.

All officers get the basic field sobriety training, but DUI officers are more specialized in that field.

“Once you’ve completed, you know, basic field sobriety class and you’re certified through the state you can be a DUI officer, but like I said, you know, if that’s all you do, you’re going to be better at it. Testimony in court is going to be better, you know, your field sobriety on the roadside is going to be better because you have more practice,” says Lovelady.

Sargent Shane Kelly worked as a DUI officer for four years at SPD and he relied on sight and smell.

“Every case is going to be different. I mean, you can start with your eyes, you know, then you’re going to go to any other type of observations, like asking for license, and you get your debit card, you know, it’s little things like that. Obviously, beer cans, or beer bottles in the car, or liquor.”

Certain clues in standard field tests tip experts off, letting them know when someone has had too much to drink.

They’re used to establish probable cause to run somebody on the the intoxilyzer.

The one leg stand test looks for these hints.

“There’s four distinct things your’re looking for, which you know, sways, hops, using your arms to balance, and putting your foot down, you know, we’ve had to demonstrate this, you know, in full duty gear and it’s not an issue there, so any sober person should be able to complete tasks without an issue,” says Kelly.

Corporal Brandon Lovelady wants to remind this to everyone who’s going to be out and about this weekend.

“If you choose to drink alcohol, please have a driver lined up. There’s also numerous taxi services in this area. It’s easy to get a ride home when you’ve been drinking, other than driving yourself.”