Law Enforcement
Phlebotomy Program
Mission
The mission of the Arizona Department of Public Safety Phlebotomist is to provide law enforcement with a safe, secure means to collect blood for evidentiary purposes, using training and experience, and to accomplish this with integrity and accountability to the citizens of the State of Arizona.
History
The Arizona Department of Public Safety is committed to the apprehension and prosecution of impaired drivers. Successful prosecution depends on many aspects of the criminal investigation. One aspect is the collection of breath, blood, or other bodily substance as evidence in prosecution.
Arizona law allows for qualified persons to draw blood for the purposes of blood alcohol or drug screening. Blood evidence is obtained by persons who have focused training in the procedures to draw blood. This person is called a phlebotomist.
In 1995, officers from the Arizona Department of Public Safety set upon a course to become phlebotomists. This groundbreaking program was the first of its kind in the United States. These officers attended classes at Phoenix College in Phoenix, Arizona. Upon completion of these courses, the officers at the Arizona Department of Public Safety began drawing blood for purposes of detection of drugs in alcohol in the investigation of impaired drivers.
The Arizona Department of Public Safety then began a program to get more officers and civilian employees trained in phlebotomy. Phoenix College created a pilot program to train law enforcement personnel in phlebotomy using an Arizona Peace Officer Standardized Training certified "Phlebotomy for Law enforcement" program. This program is an intensive, hands-on 40 hour course of instruction that teaches law enforcement personnel across the state the accurate, up to date phlebotomy procedures and techniques required to achieve the title " Law Enforcement Phlebotomist."