The state’s top toxicologist says you could have your blood drawn by police officers if you are suspected of alcohol or illegal drug use as soon as next year. Amy Miles from the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene suggested to Wisconsin Public Radio last week that certifying police as phlebotomists, also known as medical professionals trained to perform blood draws, would ease the burden off of busy hospitals. The practice is not unheard of, as almost a dozen states already do. The possibility was news to members of the Sturgeon Bay Police Department, with Assistant Police Chief Dan Brinkman saying the state has not approached them about it. Brinkman says many questions would have to be answered before they went down that path.
The Sturgeon Bay Police Department works with Door County Medical Center for its blood draws in such instances, with Brinkman adding that they have been a great partner for them and neither side has had complaints.
