Why do the American police...

[V8S]

... do all that walking along white lines and saying the alphabet and various other tests with people suspected of drink driving, when you don't see any other police force (at least not on the typical police video programmes!) use such methods?

While it creates amusing television, it seems like it has no useful purpose - it seems to waste a lot of police time when a breathalyser can be used to ascertain alcohol level. It just seems childish to go through quarter of an hour of tests when the officer has probably made up their mind about the person in the first 20 seconds.

[Flat in Fifth]

Also why do they up the ante at the slightest excuse with screaming and shouting, weapons drawn??

Saw one clip the other night. The bloke had been given a fat lip being thumped by a bouncer and kicked out of a club.

Young cop rolls up, comes out with the US version of "hello hello hello."

Bloke says "He thumped me I just want to go home."

Young cop goes absolutely ballistic, cuffs the guy subjects him to utterly inappropriate treatment. Finally determines bloke really does want to go home and has the money for cab fare.

Bloke starts to wander off home, cop again goes ballistic, challenges him, bloke says "I'm going home." Young cop immediately maces him ffs even though no physical threat from bloke. He'd already determined this guy had no weapons and was iharmless even if a bit tired and emotional plus something of a richard head, but really!!!!

Edited by Flat in Fifth on Wednesday 6th December 17:25

[martind]

...........always seem to leave the keys in the ignition of their patrol cars so the crims can just jump in & drive off in the police car , as commonly seen on the 'worlds wildest police chases'

[combemarshal]

Because it works and it's free, For instance, the following the finger with just your eyes and not moving your head, when you are drunk your eyes 'stutter' just before moving fully left or right!

[jasandjules]

V8S said:

It just seems childish to go through quarter of an hour of tests when the officer has probably made up their mind about the person in the first 20 seconds.

My guess would be that they do it as evidence for any prosecution, so that the tape can be shown in the court when the DUI is brought. That is also why they do it in front of the car, where the camera is, and with the main lights on, I guess.

I mean, an officer can stand up and say, the fella was drunk, or he can play the tape of the guy/gal falling over whilst trying to walk in a straight line...

[gently bentley]

The sobriety test. (as it is called) is used by Scottish Police Forces.

[gently bentley]

mungo said:

We use it in this country too as well as the breath test to test for drugs ... the breath test cannot test this.

If they fail they get nicked under Section 4 of the Road Traffic Act, "Driving whilst unfit through drink or drugs"

Please note, you can still be under the drink drive limit and still commit this offence if it affects your ability to drive.

The drugs test can only be done by specially trained officers though but any officer can arrest under Section 4 RTA if they suspect the driver is affected by drugs or passes the breathalyser but is still suspected not safe to drive.

The very same.

[Boosted LS1]

combemarshal said:

Because it works and it's free, For instance, the following the finger with just your eyes and not moving your head, when you are drunk your eyes 'stutter' just before moving fully left or right!

I think it's a good test as well. Different bodys have differing limits.

Boosted.

[not applicable]

Great test - always fun demonstrating it to the Sheriff in court ;o)

[MrsMiggins]

Flat in Fifth said:

Also why do they up the ante at the slightest excuse with screaming and shouting, weapons drawn??

I suppose that's the difference between the way it's done here 'policing with consent' and the way it's done there 'enforcing the law'. One implies co-operation, the other 'respect my authoritah!'.

[Pigeon]

Boosted LS1 said:

I think it's a good test as well. Different bodys have differing limits.

Yes. It works on whether what you were doing was actually dangerous, as opposed to how it relates to some arbitrary figure.

[JMGS4]

Flat in Fifth said:

Saw one clip the other night. The bloke had been given a fat lip being thumped by a bouncer and kicked out of a club.
Young cop rolls up, comes out with the US version of "hello hello hello."
Bloke says "He thumped me I just want to go home."
Young cop goes absolutely ballistic, cuffs the guy subjects him to utterly inappropriate treatment. Finally determines bloke really does want to go home and has the money for cab fare.
Bloke starts to wander off home, cop again goes ballistic, challenges him, bloke says "I'm going home." Young cop immediately maces him ffs even though no physical threat from bloke. He'd already determined this guy had no weapons and was iharmless even if a bit tired and emotional plus something of a richard head, but really!!!!

OTT agreed,
however I can't understand how our BiB put up with the mouthy filthy drunken chavscum who abuse them, spit at them and generally cast doubts on BiBs parentage, as seen on various GB Police series.
I'm so surprised that these scum don't get beaten to a pulp by a rightly enraged BiB.
Just shows what PCism and forcibly good mannered BiB does for the upkeep of law and order here!!!

I know I'd accidentally let them "fall down" the police station stairs.....and that more than once.... (but that's probably why I'm not BiB!!!)

[deva link]

JMGS4 said:

as seen on various GB Police series.

I think the clue there is "as seen".

Lets face it, even with the cameras, you still see some dodgy things. What goes on when the cameras aren't there?

[Smartie]

This test is surely very inaccurate though? For example, I would struggle to walk down a white line when completely sober, as I just have a poor sense of balance. My wife, on the other hand, could do as pi$$ed as a fart, without a thought!

[Pigeon]

Smartie said:

This test is surely very inaccurate though? For example, I would struggle to walk down a white line when completely sober, as I just have a poor sense of balance. My wife, on the other hand, could do as pi$$ed as a fart, without a thought!

Presumably that's why they include various different procedures in the test, like saying the alphabet backwards and stuff. Also, as combemarshal said, being drunk may cause characteristic variations in apparently normal reactions which give the game away to a knowledgeable tester.

JMGS4 said:

I can't understand how our BiB put up with the mouthy filthy drunken chavscum who abuse them, spit at them and generally cast doubts on BiBs parentage, as seen on various GB Police series.
I'm so surprised that these scum don't get beaten to a pulp by a rightly enraged BiB.
Just shows what PCism and forcibly good mannered BiB does for the upkeep of law and order here!!!

I know I'd accidentally let them "fall down" the police station stairs.....and that more than once.... (but that's probably why I'm not BiB!!!)

I would guess that there are a million different variations in how the BiB can deal with them, all perfectly legal and within standard procedure... the BiB have many more opportunities to take the piss out of the scrotes than the other way round. Called us a kunt - he'll be two minutes too late to go on the list of meals required for prisoners. Spat at us - internal body search. That's how I'd cope with it. Trouble is most of the scrotes are too thick to be aware of the possibility.

[not applicable]

I agree a certain level of force must be used on a spitting offender and s/he must be floored. Having been spat on full in the face by a junkie with every disease known, I had to endure 6 months of blood tests to ensure I had not contracted anything. Not pleasant, especially knowing my family were therefore also at risk (admittedly very slim).

Unfortunately although the perpetrators are charged with assault, the courts often seem to think this is simply part of the job and one must accept it will happen!

Edited by not applicable on Friday 8th December 00:18

[chrispy porker]

That's true. Many magistrates view being assaulted as part of the job.