Galveston injury lawyer reminds readers that back on Halloween night in 2008, the Houston, TX Police Department introduced a mobile van, dubbed the BATmobile. The mobile van’s purpose intended to allow HPD to take a more direct and efficient role in combating dangerous DWI crimes by taking the blood alcohol content testing equipment to the streets where it was needed.
The BAT (blood alcohol testing) mobile allowed direct communication with judges to obtain warrants for forces blood draws. The Houston PD BATmobile could save time and allow blood alcohol content to be tested more quickly after a suspect was stopped by police.
But this Galveston injury lawyer was disheartened to see that the BATmobile has come under fire from critics for possible failure to maintain standards that would ensure accurate blood alcohol testing results. Amanda Culbertson, a technical specialist with the Houston PD crime lab, is asserting that the mobile DWI crime lab hasn’t been keeping to standards that would ensure accurate DWI testing results. A grand jury has met to consider her allegations. Apparently, the grand jury wouldn’t allow prosecutors from DA Pat Lykos’ office into the room where they were hearing the case.
As a Galveston injury lawyer who has seen way too much suffering from car crashes caused by DUI drivers, I find that the Houston PD BATmobile is actually a great idea for taking a more direct and forceful approach to fighting DWI crimes, endemic throughout the Houston metro area. We could wish that those in charge of the van took greater care with the technical matters that would ensure highly accurate blood alcohol test results.
We need the Houston PD to crack down hard on DWI crimes, especially on the dangerous drinking holiday that is Halloween. But unless they ensure the accurate tests and procedures that will generate credibility, their efforts, no matter how diligent otherwise, will probably go for naught. And we Galveston injury lawyers will continue to try to obtain just compensation for the innocent victims whose lives are destroyed by reckless drunk drivers.