If you refuse a breath test in Platte County, you can look forward to a forced blood test. That’s right, while other counties in the state implemented the practice several months ago, Platte is the first in the Kansas City area to announce the new procedure. Continue reading
This video does a nice job explaining how ALPR (Automated License Plate Reader) systems work, and how they can help law enforcement efforts. Continue reading
Police in St. Louis are using high tech license plate scanning and tracking (ALPR) systems to identify scofflaws and wanted individuals, according to this article in the Missourian. Continue reading
Heroin is on the rise across the country and in Kansas City. The Kansas City Star is reporting this week that even the suburban families of Johnson County are not immune to heroin’s cheap and potent lure, making what was once considered a back-alley secret, more of a living room party drug.
Randolph, Mo in Clay County is in trouble with the state auditor for issuing too many traffic tickets and speeding citations. Continue reading
Missouri Governor Jay Nixon signed a bill that reforms Missouri’s DWI laws in a number of significant ways. The bill is meant to be tougher on repeat offenders, but also offers more treatment options for alcohol abuse and addiction. Continue reading
The Columbia police department has been offered a couple of police car mounted license plate scanning systems, free of charge. As noted before, this scanner technology is on the verge of becoming widespread in Missouri law enforcement, in the search for stolen cars and driver’s who may have outstanding criminal warrants. Continue reading
The Missouri house passed a proposed law that would allow police to take a blood sample of those suspected of drunk driving without requiring a warrant.
The law is part of a nationwide trend of “no refusals” to tests that would chemically establish intoxication, by either breath test or blood test, to determine if a suspect is above the nationwide legal limit of .08% BAC (blood alcohol content), indicating legal impairment.
Numerous constitutional questions arise from this law, as to whether this is considered “self-incriminating” evidence in a DWI. Other states, such as Texas, get around this by essentially having judges on call to issue warrants on the spot.
The house bill is designated as HB 1695. The bill moves on to the Senate (as SB 880) for passage, and other drunk driving law changes may be included in the final package, including possible enhanced penalties for enhanced or high BAC results of .15%, nearly twice the legal limit.
Another report adds details about the use of Automatic License Plate Recognition (ALPR) scanning systems in Missouri.
The Columbia Police Department and Boone County Sheriff’s Department are employing aggressive new law enforcement technologies to locate and track suspected criminals or other scofflaws. Continue reading