Original Article Blood program trains officers on the draw Mel Melndez The Arizona Republic Oct. 22, 2004 12:00 AM Glenn Heine, a deputy sheriff with the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office Lake Patrol, asked the patient if she felt comfortable with a trainee drawing her blood. "Go ahead. Hit me," cracked Teresa Fiorie, during a visit to the Carl T. Hayden VA Medical Center in Phoenix. "I have small veins, so this should be a real learning experience for you." No doubt. But with 74 blood draws under his belt, Heine was fast approaching the 100-draw mark needed to earn his certificate under the award-winning Phoenix College Law Enforcement Phlebotomy Program. advertisement More than 350 officers from nearly 40 law enforcement agencies have completed the intensive one-week course, which was launched in 2000 and which trains the officers in the art of performing on-the-spot blood draws on drivers who have been pulled over for possibly being intoxicated. The course is touted as the first law enforcement phlebotomy program in the nation, and Phoenix College is working with the Governor's Office of Highway Safety to establish a standardized curriculum that could be offered throughout the state. In Arizona, where alcohol-related deaths hover at about 500 annually, the program is being hailed as the latest weapon in the war against drunken driving, a weapon backers hope will discourage residents from driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. "It's another tool in our attempt to get these hazardous drivers off the road," said Officer Alan Haywood of the Arizona Highway Patrol, the program's lead phlebotomy instructor. "On a Friday or Saturday night, when one in seven drivers are often impaired, this training will come in handy." Traditionally, law enforcement agencies have hired consultants to draw blood or have trained a few officers to perform them. But more agencies, especially those in rural areas, are beginning to see the benefits of training their field officers, said Cathee Tankersley, program director. What's more, agencies are relying more on blood draws because breathalyzer results are often challenged in court, she added. "It's expensive to hire outsiders to do the draws," she said. "And unlike breathalyzers, you can't argue with blood. You're either below the 0.08 (blood-alcohol level) or you're not." Tuition runs $210, with trainees spending 20 hours on lectures and lab work and 20 hours performing blood draws in local hospitals. The officers learn proper blood-drawing techniques, how to handle complications and specimen processing. They must adhere to national safety and clinical laboratory standards to earn their certificate and 1 credits. Phlebotomy training typically runs two to three months, but the law enforcement course is fast-tracked because of officers' work schedules. Officers also complete twice the number of draws to ensure they're up to speed when drawing blood outside a clinical setting, Tankersley said. On Thursday, a day before earning his certificate, Deputy Sheriff Heine said he felt confident performing his own draws. "This is going to be great, because I work out by the Canyon and Apache lakes, and it's almost impossible to get a phlebotomist out there to do these," he said. "Now I'm equipped to do my own draws, which will make everybody's life easier." Information on the program: (602) 285-7117.