MA Police Training Manual - OUI Stop Field Sobriety Tests
ALPHABET
This technique requires the subject to recite a
part of the alphabet. You instruct the subject to recite the alphabet beginning
with a letter other than A
and stopping at a letter other than Z.
For example, you might say to a driver,
“Recite the alphabet, beginning with the letter E
as in Edward and stopping with the
letter P
as in Paul.” This divides the
driver’s attention because the driver must concentrate to begin at an unusual
starting point and recall where to stop.
COUNT DOWN
This technique requires the subject to count out
loud 15 or more numbers in reverse sequence. For example, you might request a
driver to, “Count out loud backwards, starting with the number 68 and ending
with the number 53.” This, too, divides attention because the driver must
continuously concentrate to count backwards while trying to recall where to
stop.
NOTE: This technique should never be given using
starting and stopping points that end in 0
or 5
because these numbers are too easy to
recall. For example, do not request that the driver count backwards from 65 to
50. Instead, ask the driver to count backwards from 64 to 49.
FINGER COUNT
In this technique, the subject is asked to touch
the tip of
the thumb in turn to the tip of each finger on the same
hand while simultaneously counting up one,
two, three,
four; then to reverse direction on the
fingers while simultaneously
counting down
four, three, two, one.
In each instance, note whether and how well the
subject is able to perform the divided attention task.
THE EXIT SEQUENCE
Your decision to instruct the driver to step
from the vehicle usually is made after you have developed a suspicion that the
driver is impaired. (Except, however, that you may instruct a suspect to exit
the vehicle as a means of ensuring your own safety. Safety considerations take
precedence over all other considerations.) Even though that suspicion may be
very strong, usually the suspect is not yet under arrest when you give the
instruction.
How the driver steps and walks from the vehicle
and actions or behavior during the exit sequence may provide important evidence
of impairment. Be alert to the driver who:
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