DEPARTMENT: Police
DEPARTMENT HEAD: William P. McManus
COUNCIL DISTRICT(S) IMPACTED: Citywide
SUBJECT: Authorization of an Interlocal Cooperation Contract between the San Antonio Police Department and the Texas Department of Public Safety.
SUMMARY:
This ordinance authorizes an Interlocal Cooperation Contract with the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) to provide SAPD a DPS Technical Supervisor for officer/operator training, expert testimony, and maintenance of intoxilyzer machines for an annual cost of $100,000 for an overall contractual cost of $400,000. Funds in the amount of $33,333 is available in the FY 2021 General Fund Budget and funding for future years is subject to City Council approval as part of the annual budget.
This contract will become effective on execution and will terminate May 31, 2025.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
In October 2020, SAPD and DPS entered a six (6) month Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) wherein DPS provided SAPD with a temporarily assigned DPS Technical Supervisor for officer/operator training, expert testimony, and service of intoxilyzer machines.
In 2008, SAPD began participating in no-refusal weekends (no-refusal refers to obtaining a blood specimen from a suspected driver who refuses a breath test).
In 2011, SAPD moved to no-refusal every weekend. In addition to the no-refusal blood draw warrants, the SAPD DWI Unit also administers breath tests to detect and measure alcohol limits in those cases where a suspected driver does not refuse. The breath tests must be administered by SAPD DWI Unit officers who are trained, authorized, and certified to properly operate the DPS intoxilyzer instruments. When properly administered and obtained, the breath test results are available immediately and allow officers and prosecutors to proceed with cases in a timely manner and avoid unwanted court back logs.
SAPD conducted the following intoxilyzer tests over the past four years:
Complete SAPD Subject Tests Conducted
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