MACON COUNTY LAW ENFORCEMENT TO IMPLEMENT NO-REFUSAL PROGRAM ON DUI ARRESTS

     Macon County Sheriff Tony Brown, Decatur Police Chief Jim Getz, and Macon County State’s Attorney Jay Scott announced February 24 that effective immediately their agencies are implementing a No-Refusal Program for Driving Under the Influence arrests.

     Under this program search warrants will be sought to authorize blood draws from drivers arrested for DUI who refuse to submit to a breath test or to prove a blood sample voluntarily. Decatur Police Officers and Macon County Deputies who are trained forensic phlebotomists will collect the samples, which will be forensically analyzed for alcohol or cannabis levels or the presence of controlled substances. Officers and deputies will work in coordination with prosecutors and judges to quickly obtain the search warrants for drivers who refuse testing.

     The program will initially be limited to Class 2 felony or higher Aggravated DUI arrests, the most dangerous DUI offenders, with the possibility of expanding to lower level offenses in the future. No refusal programs have been effective in other jurisdictions across the nation in helping build solid cases for prosecution of DUI offenders.

     The No-Refusal Program will make Macon County roadways safer, and will hopefully raise awareness of the dangers and consequences of impaired driving.