Office of the Governor: “BAT Mobiles” Will Help Apprehend Drunk Drivers in Alabama

FROM THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR

August 12, 2008

MONTGOMERY - While Alabama state troopers don’t drive jet-powered vehicles like Batman to pursue lawbreakers, they soon will be deploying “BAT Mobiles” to stop drunk drivers.

Governor Bob Riley has awarded almost $1.4 million in grants to fund a statewide DUI task force with vehicles nicknamed “BAT Mobiles” because they will be equipped with specialized breath alcohol testing devices.

“Our state troopers and the new equipment provided by these grants will save lives by taking drunk drivers off Alabama’s highways,” said Governor Riley. “Approximately 40 percent of all traffic deaths in Alabama involve alcohol. The danger drunk drivers pose to every man, woman and child who travel on our roads cannot be taken lightly, and in Alabama we don’t take this threat lightly.”

The “BAT Mobiles” are a key component of “Task Force Zero,” a state trooper initiative to combat drunken driving, said Col. J. Christopher Murphy, director of the Department of Public Safety. Murphy said TFZ stems from the resourcefulness and dedication of state troopers in Montgomery who sought to facilitate DUI enforcement by finding a way to conduct roadside testing. The troopers were able to acquire an old bread delivery truck that they equipped with a breathalyzer for use at sobriety checkpoints.

“When we talked with Governor Riley about the goals of ‘Task Force Zero’ and its initial success with our home-made ‘BAT Mobile,’ he responded immediately to help,” said Murphy.

“Thanks to the governor and the Department of Economic and Community Affairs, we literally are placing the laboratory in the field. These ‘BAT Mobiles’ will allow state troopers to conduct roadside breath alcohol tests of suspected drunken drivers. This makes our troopers more effective in apprehending impaired drivers, and it saves time and money,” he said.

The task force focuses on detecting, testing and processing impaired drivers through increased patrols and DUI checkpoints across the state.

The “BAT Mobiles” used at checkpoints will be equipped with custom alcohol testing gear, provided by the Department of Forensic Sciences, and other equipment needed to process impaired drivers and gather evidence for court. A $49,500 state grant will be used by the Alabama Department of Public Safety to purchase in-car video cameras for the “BAT Mobiles.” The video footage can be used as evidence in court, as a training tool for officers and as a way to ensure that officers are performing their job duties correctly.

The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs is administering the grants from the state’s Traffic Safety Trust Fund. This trust fund receives fines paid by individuals found guilty of driving without a license or with a suspended or revoked license, and the money is used for traffic safety purposes.