The Athens Police Department might soon have a new weapon in their alcohol enforcement arsenal.
APD Chief Richard Mayer has asked Athens City Council to approve the purchase of three alcohol meters -handheld, portable breath testers used to determine blood-alcohol level.
I've used it for DUIs
public drunkenness and underage consumption said - 'Blow in this machine' and it comes up they've been drinking. Lushbaugh, who has used a meter on loan from Hocking College's police academy about 100 times, said it takes the guesswork out of determining if someone is drunk.
The three meters would cost $1,561 total, said councilwoman Debbie Phillips, D-4th ward. The money would come from the city's Alcohol Enforcement/Education Fund, which has more than $6,000 from fines for Driving Under the Influence violations.
There have been a lot of concerns about alcohol consumption in general in town
Phillips said. I don't think anyone's on a mission
but this is a priority the police department identified. The meters would be used as a screening tool in determining intoxication for various alcohol-related arrests, Mayer said, but would not be admissible as evidence in court the way a -
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Meredith Heagney
