Because of the yearly increase in the number of breath tests collected in the county, the demand for portable breath-testing devices continues to grow.

As the trend continues, the Ventura Sheriff’s Department Forensic Sciences Laboratory plans to bring more evidential breath-testing instrumentation to the roadside.

New equipment purchases and a web-based data management system will be provided throughout the county as a result of a recent $790,000 grant given to the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department Forensic Services Bureau.

Funding for the grant comes from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

With the funding, the number of available instruments will increase and will assist all county law enforcement agencies in their efforts to deal with drunk driving and reduce the number of people killed and injured in traffic collisions attributed to impaired drivers. 

“Catching drunk drivers is essential to keeping Ventura County streets safe,” said Christopher J. Murphy, director of the Office of Traffic Safety. “This equipment helps ensure that offenders are successfully prosecuted.”

The grant also will help in the timely release of breath testing information and documentation through user-friendly electronic means.

The grant also funds a forensic scientist position and supports the training of laboratory staff to support the new roadside breath-testing initiative.