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Galesburg officer trained in drawing blood to aid cannabis prosecutions

The Galesburg Police Department now has an officer certified to draw blood to test drivers arrested for driving while impaired.
Galesburg Police Chief Russ Idle says it’s part of law enforcement efforts to better handle cases of drivers being impaired on cannabis.

Illinois legalized recreational use of cannabis on Jan. 1 for adults over 21, but it still remains illegal to drive after using a THC infused product.

Officer Alison Buccalo has been legally certified as a phlebotomist through the State of Illinois and Richmond College.

Chief Idle says her training included nearly 100 supervised blood draws.

Idle says it’s not the police’s job to question laws that are passed, but admits that legal cannabis does come with some public safety costs.

“In looking at other states that have passed legalization of marijuana laws their driving while impaired under cannabis arrests, injuries and fatalities have increased by upwards of 400 percent. So yes we expect an increase,” Idle says.

Idle says phlebotomy isn’t something every officer will be trained in, but possibly at some point, GPD might have another one or two certified.

He says police have been able to take blood for decades, but previously a suspect would have to be taken to a hospital for a medical professional to take the sample.
That was a more costly and timely process.

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