Thank you for saying so, CircuitGuy and winterwind.

Jan

"I almost got fired* because I refused to draw or process any 'legal blood alcohols'."
It's so much easier to make up little excuses to make life easier. Not taking the easy route inspires every other person watching, even if they don't say anything, even if they don't agree with you. By doing the right thing, even for people who disagree you've put the question on the table: is this moral. How they answer it is less important that they see it as debatable. This doesn't even mention the courage you give to people who agree.

you are a hero for saying no.
sometimes, that's all it takes to stop evil in its tracks - one person who says "no".

look up, and read the post from jlc.

In one of the jurisdictions I read about, MADD members were allowed to ride along on the holiday weekend [4th of July, of course] one Tennessee county started it.

Who thought it was a good idea? The National Highway Traffic And Safety Administration (NHTSA). It's been taken over by MADD in the last several years. They provide grants to local police to conduct these just as they do the Enhanced DUI patrols. The officers get overtime and the local governments get free money.

The legality is supposedly based on a telephone warrant by a magistrate or judge.

It's interesting, in a sick sort of way. Some states are finding out that breathalyzers aren't that accurate, so they want something more accurate. Courts have held that a blood tense is an unreasonable search, so they have to get a warrant. The police who do these things have a judge at the ready, usually on the phone but sometimes present, and crank the warrants out.
Some jurisdictions allow you to refuse a "blow", but those people who do are getting a sharp shock. It's a mess, because it's administered on a county level.

actually, the condition they are prepared for is to not sanitize the area with alcohol - they are instructed to use iodine. Aren't some people allergic to iodine?
same song, 7,324th verse: do they care? no, no, no, no, NO!

I hadn't thought of that. My mom hates to give blood. She would probably pass out. What about folks with medical conditions? Are they prepared for that? Doubt it.

Kind of like directive 10-289?

Well meaning MADD, taking rights from millions to avoid another individual incident of pain.

"Time for Georgia drivers to revolt. "
I wish this were about the former Soviet Georgia.

We've got elections coming up. A question that MUST be asked of every candidate is whether or not they 1> are in favor or this or 2> will comply if/when elected. and then there should be a fucking FIRESTORM.
We've got a week, folks. I gave up politics, as I've said, because it's bad for me - but that doesn't mean I'm bad at it. Find out where the candidates are appearing, and ask them if there is open questioning. If there isn't open questioning, heckle them with the question, pointing out that you would be happy to sit down and shut up when they answer it. Don't take any nonsense about "I don't know about it": make an appointment within the next 3 days to allow them to find out about it. Find out.
I want to know the states where this is happening, and I'm going to start with Colorado.

feeling rather queasy here....it's hard to do a blood draw on me unless you listen to how I tell you to do it - and these guys certainly wouldn't listen....

but then we have to pay fees when they actually "do" [read screw up] the job!

EXCELLENT OBSERVATION, HOWEVER WHILE YOU THINK IT IS CRAZY THAT NEVER ENTERED HIS MIND. HE JUST BELIEVED IT WOULD BE ACCEPTED AS SOMETHING GOOD FOR THE PUBLIC.

Good point John. I am guessing other communities will be watching to see the reaction to this story. If the story goes away quickly it will happen again.

Rich, this appears to be one more event which goes
to prove that we must be vigilant FOR our governments
since they will not do their jobs and maintain vigilance
on our behalf.

let's see::: we hire them to do a job, and then
have to do part of that job -- defending our
freedoms -- because they won't do it. sucks. -- j

Surprising any health care professional would agree to do this under these conditions.

As I think about it the Sheriff should have been outraged at this. He said he would no longer participate which means he must have agreed to it in the first place. Crazy!

You are correct. If they want blood drawn, they take the person to the nearest hospital.

I almost got fired* because I refused to draw or process any 'legal blood alcohols'. I had no problem doing medical blood alcohols (person found unconscious or delusional), but I would not draw for legal purposes (though I would have if the patient had freely asked me to). I personally believe that this violates the 5th Amendment by making your own body 'testify' against you. If you are visibly unsafe in your driving, then the police have evidence based on that behavior (and it does not matter if it is due to alcohol or the fact that you were crying your eyes out 'cause your guy just dumped you or were too tired to drive and were falling asleep at the wheel).

Jan
*What saved me is that very few med techs LIKE to work graveyard shift. If they had fired me, all of the med techs in the lab would have had to pull Call after hours until they found another licensed MT to pull the shift).

Anyone heard of Hepatitis A, B, or C, amongst a lot of other diseases that a needle can transfer if not clean? Are these people trained, licensed, to stick needles into other peoples body? I'd interpret the practice as unconstitutional, period. Tell me more about those body searches at roadside stops, how did that work out?

Rich,

excellent question, but will it ever be answered? probably not.

Give someone a little power and low and behold they think they are king. It comes from the top down as in the case of 0. this type of behavior is happening all over the country and it will continue to happen. sure this incident was exposed but that doesn't help those who were initially affected by it. the "i'm sorry" attitude is meaningless, because they who perpetrated the event are not. there is no stopping the degradation of what was OUR country. those who follow these orders are our enemies. more nails.

At one time the police were held in high regard, as they were there to protect the citizens against the criminals... now they'e there as our local militia to keep the citizens in line, as the municipal government knows all their citizens are criminals... because, the thinking goes, if all of *us* are criminals, our constituents have to be worse than us...

I remember that. I like Susannes point about people assuming the people must be guilty. This story is so anti-American most will probably assume there has to be more to it.