Preliminary Alcohol Screening
A Preliminary Alcohol Screening device or PAS device is a portable breath tester used by law enforcement officers including members of the California Highway Patrol (CHP), San Francisco Police Officers, San Francisco Sheriff's Deputies or Federal National Park Service Police Officers. The most common PAS device used in California DUI investigations is the
Alco Sensor IV manufactured by Intoximeters Inc.
The
Alco Sensor IV (ASIV) is a handheld breath Preliminary Alcohol Screening (PAS) device used to measure a motorist's breath alcohol level at the scene of a traffic stop which has resulted in a DUI investigation. The device provides a method of determining a subject’s breath alcohol concentration with some degree of accuracy.
California law requires breath tests to be conducted in compliance with
California Code of Regulations. Title 17 is the governing section of the
California Code of Regulations applicable to alcohol breath tests.
The manufacturer of the Alcosensor IV, Intoximeters, Inc. is a leading manufacturer of alcohol detection devices. The company offers portable and stationary alcohol breath testing machines to determine the amount of alcohol in a person's blood. In additional to manufacturing the devices, Intoximeters offers training on the maintenance of the devices. Intoximeters, Inc. is based out of St Louis, Missouri. However, members of the California Highway Patrol receive training in PAS devices at the CHP Academy located in Sacramento. Local law enforcement officers either receive training at their respective academies, in service training or no training at all.
Intoximeters, Inc. was founded by Dr. Glenn Forrester in 1945. Dr. Forrester had been working for some years prior to 1945 on a process to capture alcohol from a breath sample. When Intoximeters, Inc. was founded, Dr. Forrester had already manufactured his first portable device used in collecting evidence for DUI investigations.
The early versions of the
Alco Sensor were introduced in the 1970's. This device was a hand held portable alcohol screening device which was a new addition the normal equipment police officers use. The Alco Sensor product line is presently in production and is one of the most widely used alcohol screening devices available. They are commonly reffered to as Preliminary Alcohol Screening devices or PAS devices.
In the 1990's, Intoximeters Inc. began to manufacture the Alco Sensor IV. The Alco Sensor IV consisted of fuel cell technology integrated into the device. That integration is used to determine the alcohol concentration from a DUI suspect's breath. The Alco Sensor IV is available with or without a memory option. The memory option allows the device to electronically store the data which can then be transferred to a computer. To date, the Alco Sensor IV is one of the most widely used breath detection devices.
The Alco Sensor IV follows a software driven test protocol. Each function is displayed on an LED display which provides the operator with step-by-step instructions for administering a breath alcohol test. The device automatically samples deep lung breath and is programmed to display the result in a three digit readout in California (two or four digits where required). Inserting the plastic mouthpiece powers the instrument ON and depressing the release button which ejects the mouthpiece turns the instrument OFF.
Law Governing Preliminary Alcohol Screening (PAS) Devices
There are specific legal rules which govern admissibility of results obtained on the Alco Sensor IV Preliminary Alcohol Screening device. Alcohol breath testing is governed in the State of California by Title 17 of the California Code of Regulations. Additionally, California appellate court decisions control foundational issues which must be satisfied prior to admitting the numerical result from a Preliminary Alcohol Screening device. In 1976, the California Court of Appeal decided
People v.
Adams
, while in 2002, the California Supreme Court decided
People v.
Williams
. These cases stand for the general proposition that before the numerical value may be admitted, the proponent (usually the prosecution or California Department of Motor Vehicles) must establish: 1) the particular PAS was in working order; 2) the test was properly administered; and 3) the operator was competent and qualified to administer the test.
Alco Sensor IV Warranty
Intoximeters Inc., limits the warranty on the Alco Sensor IV to a period of twelve (12) months from the original invoice date.
California PAS Devices