Odd story out of Kansas City, but one which could prevent DUI arrests and accidents, and better educate citizens about their actual BAC level. K.C.P.D. officers, participating in a “Know Your Limits” program, were outside of bars last weekend with portable breath test devices in hand. They offered free breath tests to any bar patron who wished to find out his or her blood alcohol level. The officers claim these free tests were strictly an “educational exercise”, and not meant for any entrapment purposes.
According to this article, many patrons who took the test were shocked at how high their level registered, with some well above the legal limit of .08 after the standard “just a few beers”. Many people who registered over the legal limit also claimed to not “feel drunk” or notice any physiological effects. Some revelers admitted that, upon taking this test and discovering their level of intoxication, they would take a cab home rather than drive.
The K.C.P.D. says that this was a one-time exercise, and that there are no plans in the immediate future to conduct a similar event. But there is no denying that this is a positive exercise for everyone involved. What do YOU think? Should law enforcement agencies in St. Louis and the surrounding areas consider implementing such a program?