Documentation Flashcards

When documenting the preliminary breath test (PBT) result in relation to SFST performance, what must the officer clarify?

Answer: That the PBT result supports but does not replace the totality of SFST observations

PBT results are a supplemental tool, and reports must reflect that probable cause is based on the totality of observations including SFSTs, not solely on the PBT reading.

An officer witnesses a subject sway more than 2 inches during the One-Leg Stand. How should this be documented?

Answer: Note the approximate degree of sway and record it as the 'sways while balancing' clue

Swaying more than 2 inches is the specific 'sways while balancing' clue and should be documented with an approximate description of the sway observed.

What is the recommended practice when an officer must supplement or correct a previously submitted SFST report?

Answer: Submit a supplemental report that identifies the error and provides corrected information, preserving the original

Supplemental reports must reference the original, identify what changed, and why, preserving the original document to maintain transparency and credibility.

Why should an officer document the sequence in which SFSTs were administered to a subject?

Answer: NHTSA mandates a specific order, and deviation must be explained

NHTSA recommends a specific administration sequence (HGN, WAT, OLS), and any deviation should be documented and explained to defend the test's standardized nature.

How should conflicting observations — such as a subject passing HGN but failing the WAT — be handled in documentation?

Answer: Document all test results accurately and let the totality of observations guide the arrest decision

All SFST results must be accurately documented regardless of consistency; the arrest decision is based on the totality of observations, not a single test outcome.

Which detail about the HGN stimulus object must be documented to ensure test validity?

Answer: That the stimulus was held 12–15 inches from the subject's nose at eye level

NHTSA standards require the stimulus to be held 12–15 inches from the nose at eye level; documenting this confirms the test was administered within the validated parameters.

What is the evidentiary value of documenting a subject's odor of alcohol as part of an SFST report?

Answer: It is a corroborating sensory observation that supports the officer's probable cause determination

The odor of alcohol is a relevant, corroborating observation that contributes to the totality of circumstances supporting the officer's probable cause determination.