Massachusetts DWI DUI OUI Field Sobriety Test Police Training Manual

must establish the elements of the violation, and must be documented to support successful prosecution of the violator. This evidence is largely sensory (sight, smell, hearing) in nature, and therefore is extremely short-lived.

You must be able to recognize and act on the facts and circumstances with which you are confronted. But you also must be able to recall those observations, and describe them clearly and convincingly to secure a conviction. You may be inundated with evidence of DWI, i.e., sights, sounds, smells. You recognize this evidence, sometimes subconsciously, and on this evidence based your decisions to stop, to investigate and ultimately to arrest.

Since evidence of a DWI violation is short-lived, you need a system and tools for recording field notes at scenes of DWI investigations.
One way to improve the effectiveness of your handwritten field notes is to use a structured note taking guide. The guide makes it easy to record brief “notes” on each step on the detection process and ensures that vital evidence is documented.

The field notes provide the information necessary for completion of required DWI report forms and assist you in preparing a written account of the incident. The field notes will also be useful if you are required to provide oral testimony, since they can be used to refresh your memory.
A model note taking guide is provided for your use. A brief description follows. Details are provided in subsequent units.

NOTE TAKING GUIDE

Remember that you must document those actions which gave you reasonable suspicion or probable cause to justify further investigation of a suspected DWI incident.

Section I provides space to record basic information describing the suspect, the vehicle, the location, and the date and time the incident occurred.

Section II provides space to record brief descriptions of the vehicle in motion (Detection Phase One), including initial observation of the vehicle in operation, and observation of the stopping sequence.

Section III provides space to record brief descriptions of the personal contact with the suspect (Detection Phase Two), including observations of the driver. General Observations provides space to record the suspect’s manner of speech, attitude, clothing, etc. Any physical evidence collected should also be noted in this section.

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