From Criminal Law Notebook
Impaired
Investigating Officer
- See also: Impaired Driving, Over 80 and Refusal (Offence)
Areas of Questioning |
Comments
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Background
- identify Cst. by name, current rank, jurisdiction, current assignment, duration of employment as a peace officer
- confirm whether working and on duty on offence date and at offence time / confirm specific assignment at the time
- officer's training or experience in dealing with impaired drivers
Cause for Contact with Accused
- confirm that officer made contact with an individual by the name of the accused / confirm if person is in court today
- how officer first come in contact with accused / reason for stopping accused (pull over, MV collision, response to 911 call)
- what the officer knew about the accused before making contact
- time when first made contact / others present with officer at the time / others present with accused at the time
- Whether the accused was seen driving / time of observation / Make and model of vehicle / Licence plate number
- Any observations of the manner in which the Accused drove
Contact with accused
- Discuss what happened at initial contact / details on interaction
- confirm whether officer informed the accused of reason for stopping them
- determine how officer was able confirm the identity of the accused
- the demeanor / mood and physical condition of the accused
Reasonable suspicion for Road-side Demand
- whether there was a decision to make demand / timing of decision
- confirm whether the officer formed a reasonable suspicion that
- the accused was driving and
- the accused had alcohol in system within last 3 hours
- review the grounds of suspicion
- at time of decision to demand what was demeanor / mood and physical condition of accused
- review signs observed (slurred speech, bloodshot eyes, smell of alcohol from breath/from vehicle, unsteady movements, mumbling, not able to walk straight, falling asleep, poor coordination, etc)
- review observations of driving (crossing lines, not obey rules of road, headlights off at night)
Making the Demand for roadside test
- whether the demand was made / wording of demand / timing of demand
- review any reasons for delays between decision and demand
- whether the suspect understood the demand, including reasons for this belief
Administering Roadside test
- discuss officer administering the roadside test
- review procedure of the test / results / timing of each test
- review reasons for any delay between the demand and the test / was it most direct route
- confirm whether the device was an "approved" device
- conclusion of the results
Reasonable grounds of impairment
- opinion on whether the accused's ability to operate the vehicle was impaired:
- belief of accused driving within last 3 hours
- belief of driving ability affected by impairment
- belief of impairment due to alcohol
Making the Demand for Breathalyser test
- made demand / read from card / time of reading
- signs that the accused understood / accused's answer
- advised of right to lawyer (10(b) right) / read from card / time of reading
- was accused arrested / timing of arrest
Accessing counsel, if requested
- review the steps that the officer took to facilitate access to counsel
- access to phone was private
- timing and duration of the phone call
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Breath Tech (Over 80 charge)
Areas of Questioning |
Comments
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Background
- identify Cst. by name, current rank, jurisdiction, current assignment, duration of employment as a peace officer
- whether he is a qualified breath tech under the Code / when first certified / by whom
- officer's training as a breath tech
- officer's experience in dealing with impaired drivers / number of times breath tests been conducted
- Occurrence
- confirm whether working and on duty on offence date and at offence time / confirm specific assignment at the time / whether he was a qualified tech at that time
- location when first contacted regarding your role in this investigation / if away from station, how long it took to get there
- circumstances of meeting with suspect / time / who else present
- ID suspect as accused
Information Provided
- whether provided with information from investigating officer (time and place of Operation or Care/Ctrl, ID of suspect, Time of ASD test and results, bodily signs of impairment, circumstances suggesting impairment, time of arrest/charter/caution/demand, notified of charges, whether all understood by accused)
- at first encounter what observations of accused's condition and attitude/demeaour were made
Making the Demand for Breathalyser test
- whether officer made demand / read from card / time of reading
- signs that the accused understood / accused's answer
- advised of right to lawyer (10(b) right) / read from card / time of reading
- was accused arrested / timing of arrest
Accessing counsel, if requested
- review the steps that the officer took to facilitate access to counsel
- access to phone was private
- timing and duration of the phone call
Breathalyser test
- whether he used an approved instrument on that day
- identify the model of instrument / whether it is approved / location of instrument
- purpose of the instrument
Preparing Instrument for Use
- whether the officer did anything to prepare the machine for use (see procedure manual or form)
- whether the device performed any self-check that was observed by the officer
- whether training procedure was followed
- what solution was used in preparing the machine / at what point was it deposited in instrument
- were solutions appropriate for the use of the instrument
- what temperature of the instrument
Calibration of Machine
- timing of last calibration / test
- method of calibrating test (purged with a blank test followed by an external test) / readings given / whether they were in suitable range
- whether he believed that the device was suitable for use after procedure/preparation
Breath Tests
- whether officer took any sample of the suspect's breath during this encounter with him
- used new mouth piece / examined for any obstructions or damage, any found
- prior to samples demonstrated how to blow / accused appeared to understand
- time of first sample began, ended and reading / second sample began, ended and reading / third sample began, ended and reading
- how was each sample given (whether "directly" into the instrument)
- were you satisfied that the samples were properly taken and suitable for analysis
- results of reach reading / what quantities and substances do the units express
- whether all steps were following training
Other Observations
- throughout the encounter with suspect were there any observations of his demeanor/attitude or condition?
Statements by Accused
- without going into the content, did the suspect say anything
- did the officer ask any questions / was the suspect cautioned first / understood caution
<may need voir dire on voluntariness>
- what questions were asked / what answers were given (read from notes / reports)
Sobriety Tests
- officer asked suspect to perform dexterity tests / instructions on how to do them / notified of voluntariness of tests and cautioned / suspect understood / suspect chose to do them
- what tests were undertaken / what were results
Results
- based on all observations, was an opinion made regarding suspects ability to operate a motor vehicle / what was it / what time was conclusion made
- when did officer release suspect from custody / to whom
- preparation of Certificate of Analysis [make certificate an exhibit]
- preparation of Notice of Intention to Produce
- contents of both documents were reviewed or verified / were any copies made / by whom
- were copies given to any one, including investigating officer / what time
- any conversations with investigating officer regarding documents or suspect
- any contact with suspect after releasing from officer's custody
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Refusal
Breath Tech
Areas of Questioning |
Comments
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- gave him a warning of requirement of breath demand / timing of demand / reason for any delay
- gave s.10(b) caution / timing of caution / reason for any delay
- response to demand and delay / did they understand / was counsel requested
- steps taken the facilitate access to counsel
- number of times of attempts / timing of first attempt / and time between each / reason for the delay between samples
- at time of test what was demeanour / mood; odour of alcohol
- was he able to provide a sample / refused using what words or behaviour
- explained to him the consequences of refusal
Attempts
- gave instructions: put mouth on, create seal, blow hard as long as possible
- he understood
- used new mouth piece
- put mouth on device properly / created seal / blow hard as possible
- hear sound of breath
- how much breath is needed
- reported any physical reason for failing / see any signs supporting this
functionality of the device
- inspect the mouth piece for obstructions prior to each test
- did you calibrate of datamaster for alcohol testing
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