Getting drunk for a good reason
Editor’s note: For the next six weeks, Editor in Chief Kevin Herrera will be writing a first-person account of what it’s like to be enrolled in the Santa Monica Police Department’s Citizen Police Academy, which is intended to foster better communication between Santa Monicans and police officers, while giving residents a better understanding of what it takes to preserve the peace.
PUBLIC SAFETY FACILITY In a city where parking is scarce, plenty of drivers have done the bump — and I’m not talking about that lame dance from the ‘70s.
The bump I’m referring to is that little rub between two bumpers when someone is trying to maneuver in or out of a tight parking space. We’ve all done it, but did you know that when you tap another person’s car, no matter how lightly, it is considered a traffic collision and you have to get out, contact the driver or at least write a note informing them of your poor parallel parking skills?
If a driver fails to do so, they can be charged with leaving the scene of an accident and face some stiff penalties. Now most officers are not going to be on the hunt for these types of crimes, but it is something to be aware of the next time you hit reverse and prepare to slip into a spot you know is going to give your trouble.
That is just one tidbit of useful information gleaned from my latest session of the Santa Monica Citizens Police Academy, my new favorite thing to do on Wednesday nights — that is if there isn’t a Lakers game (Kobe Bryant for MVP).
Another thing I learned was that sucking on a copper penny while blowing into a Breathalyzer will not cause the machine to give a false reading. I heard from so many people growing up that if I was ever caught drinking as a teen that I could just throw a penny in my mouth and blow. The machine would either read “0” or give some ridiculous number that would allow me to argue that the machine was malfunctioning.
Well, thanks to a tipsy Lauralee Asch, I know that piece of advice was nothing but an urban legend. I say thanks to Lauralee because the community relations and crime prevention specialist who has been our guide for the last six weeks put her health on the line and drank nearly a full glass of white wine during our class so that we could see how alcohol dulls one’s senses.
I believe I learned enough of that while in college, but it was fun to watch her sip on that plastic cup, her cheeks getting redder and redder as the night went on.
At first, the class was treated to a presentation from investigator Chris Dawson, an SMPD veteran who is in charge of investigating just about every single serious, and sometimes not-so-serious, accident that occur in Santa Monica, and from looking at the numbers, Dawson and his team are busy.
There were roughly 1,800 to 1,900 crashes in this congested city where it seems everyone drives impatiently even though they know most of our streets are overloaded, narrow and surrounded by pedestrians who like to cut across wherever, whenever.
Of those crashes, 558 were hit and runs, “ridiculous for a city this small,”Dawson said.
“That’s a sad commentary,” Dawson added.“For me, those numbers show that we are a society that doesn’t want to take responsibility for our actions.”
Dawson proceeded to show the class gruesome photos of victims involved in car accidents. If you haven’t seen someone who has been struck by a car, you’re lucky. It’s not a pretty sight. Limbs are bent back in ways that just aren’t normal, and sometimes, faces are smashed in, forcing some of my classmates to cringe and look away.
I thought it was great. Not because I like gore, but rather because it made me stop and think about what I do behind the wheel and how in an instant my life can change forever. Will it make me drive a little slower? Hopefully. We’ll just have to wait and see. I already drive slow enough. I get heckled by my passengers all the time for driving Miss Daisy. But what is a man to do in Santa Monica. You can rarely drive faster than 25 mph any way, and I have a convertible, so why not cruise.
Anyway, I digress. Dawson showed us the formulas he uses to calculate the speed of a vehicle involved in the accident and the position of the victim when hit. He also warned about the new cell phone law that will go into effect in July. For those who are not familiar, the law prevents drivers from using a hand-held device while on the road. Bluetooths are cool as are other hands-free devices for adults. Juveniles are not allowed to drive with either.
Another important thing to remember, Dawson said, is to never let your guard down while crossing the street, even if you are in a crosswalk. Just because you are in the crosswalk doesn’t mean cars are going to stop for you.
“People think there is this barrier protecting them,”Dawson said.“They have this false sense of security. This is how accidents happen.”
Accidents also happen when seniors and kids get behind the wheel. Kids easily get distracted and are inexperienced. Seniors lose some of their reflexes and may not be able to see very well.
Dawson told us of a story about an 85-year-old woman who was legally blind but still driving to the market on occasion. Dawson was called to her house after receiving a complaint fro the woman’s neighbor. The neighbor said they saw the elderly woman’s car and it had several scrapes and dents along the sides. They were concerned about her safety. Dawson went to investigate and sure enough, the woman was using walls, trash cans and other objects as bumpers to keep her on the road.
The hard part is getting some of these drivers to give up their license.
“Some elderly drivers feel that you are trying to take away their independence,” Dawson said.
In addition to talking about accidents, Dawson also ran through an officer involved shooting in which he wounded a suspect who had just fired off several rounds. The suspect was mentally disturbed and didn’t hit anyone, however, he did walk down Nebraska Avenue near Stewart Street with a wheel gun in hand and would not surrender to Dawson when he arrived on scene. Dawson had to follow in his squad car, order bystanders to get back and still keep his gun pointed at the suspect.
After following the suspect for about five minutes, all the while yelling for him to drop his weapon, Dawson made a decision. He aimed high, knowing that the bullet would fall at that distance. It did, striking the suspect under the buttocks, sending him to the floor. He made the right call considering the suspect was close to reaching a residential area where he could have run into an apartment and held people hostage.
Dawson received a nice round of applause and left for the evening. He was followed by officers Phillbo Rubish and Rob Dawson, who are experts in DUI investigations. They actually train other departments in the proper ways to spot a drunk, and it’s not having them count backwards from 100 or recite the alphabet.
Instead officers are trained to look at the eyes and look for what is known as horizontal gaze nystagmus, which is essentially the twitching of the eyes when a suspect is asked to track the movement of an object, usually an officer’s pen. It is by far the most accurate sobriety test administered.
Lauralee volunteered to drink and have herself tested. It was a riot. She was cracking jokes left and right, which is what she does normally, but this time they were pretty funny (just teasing, Lauralee). In all seriousness, you could tell she was three sheets to the wind. A Breathalyzer test would later confirm this, as she blew a.11. The legal limit is.08.
As soon as Officer Rubish moved his pen from left to right, it was obvious that she was impaired. Her eyes did not follow the pen smoothly. Instead, they jerked.
The officers then had her do the heel-to-toe routine where she had to walk in a straight line and turn. She couldn’t. Officer Rob Dawson stood behind her to catch her if she fell, standard operating procedure in the field.
In the end, it was really entertaining, but also a serious lesson in how alcohol can affect one’s body. It’s a valuable lesson to learn and I thank Laurelee for drinking the cheap wine to demonstrate. I know the next time I drink, I’ll remember watching Rubish moving that pen and call a cab to pick me up. There’s no reason to risk it.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on April 5, 2008. Read the original PDF.