LINCOLNTON POLICE TO GET FIVE
ALCO-SENSORS FOR DWI STOPS

Lincolnton Police are getting five Alco-Sensor FSTs for use on the road. Photo contributed/TCS

By Jon Mayhew

LINCOLNTON -- Police officers in Lincolnton are getting five Alco-Sensor FSTs free from the state of North Carolina to assist in driving while impaired stops in the city.

According to Chief Dean Abernathy, the additional hand-held sensors bring the total number in the department to about 10.

"It's a roadside breath test that detects alcohol," said Abernathy.

Abernathy said that the only thing the department had to do to get the devices were to train officers on how to use them.

The unit will allow officers to test a motorist's blood alcohol content if the officers suspects the driver has been drinking. The roadside test is in addition to doing blood tests of intoxicated suspects, as well as the standard intoxilyzer test.

Abernathy said the Alco-Sensor FSTs can be the building block for a case against a drunk motorist.

"It's used to build probable cause," said Abernathy.

North Carolina state law says a driver is impaired if the blood alcohol content is over .08.

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