It was right after the CHP Officers were issued Handheld Radio
Extenders that the following took place. These extenders provided an officer
with the ability to have radio communications away from their assigned unit. One way an officer would check for volume control, was to hit the
“squelch button”. The use of squelch is much more technical than that, but it
was a way to quickly check the volume as indicated by the tone emitted. Like
the first cell phones the extenders came with an attached, flexible, rubber
coated antenna about five inches in length. It is extremely embarrassing when a
radio call comes in while the volume is at its loudest and your in a nice quiet
corner of the restaurant, facing the door, having dinner. Checking the volume in this manner was routine.
The Officer in training and the Field Training Officer (FTO) had
made a traffic stop on a suspected driver that demonstrated driving patterns
associated with Driving Under the Influence. The Officer in training was
instructed to handle the initial contact, questioning and any Field Sobriety
Testing (FST’s) that may occur. Upon initial contact there was no question the
driver had been consuming an alcoholic beverage and was directed to an area
away from his vehicle so that a series of FST’s could be administered. There
are numerous FST’s at an Officer’s disposal and over time each officer will
determine which ones they feel are the most accurate to effectively determine
the sobriety of an individual for them to use. In this case, although not the
first DUI procedures for this officer, that determination as to which of the
many tests available would be used apparently had not yet been made. To the FTO
it appeared the Officer in training was in fact going through all the available
tests. The FTO had made his determination and didn’t want to verbally instruct
the Officer in training to move along in front of the individual about to get
arrested. The FTO retrieved his Extender from the holder on his Sam Browne (gun
belt), approached the driver and Officer conducting the FST’s. He excused the
interruption and raised the Flexible Antenna to the lips of the driver. Much to
the amazement of the Officer in training. “
The FTO stated, “Sir we just have one more test and then we will
get you under way. Please take a deep breath, blow a slow steady breath
stopping when you hear the tone.”
Following the instructions to the letter the driver complied.
Because the officers were outside, on the shoulder of the freeway and away from
their unit, the FTO had increased the volume of his radio to near the maximum
level. So, when he hit the ‘squelch’ button the sound produced was rather loud.
The driver, now with a shocked look on his face, an Officer in
training with almost the same look and an FTO happily successful at putting an
end to reviewing all the available and accepted FST’s from the manual moved on
with the process.
“Wow” replied the driver when the tone became audible after blowing
into the antenna.
“I must really be screwed up.”
Like you see in the movies the driver extended his arms, palms up
and put his wrists together.
The Officer in training explained, “That’s not exactly how it’s
done, but could you place your hands behind your back please.”
It was a quiet ride to the jail facility. Once there an actual Breathalyzer
test was to be administered. For clarity the FTO explained this time there
would be no sound.
“This machine, unlike the handheld one, prints out the reading.”
The booking procedure whet smoothly and the FTO and his Officer in
training continued with their shift.
A decade or so later the CHP would get “Handheld Breathalyzers’.”
I’m not sure though that they were as convincing.
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
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