Breath Tests During Tucson DUI Investigations
Intoxilyzer 8000
The Intoxilyzer 8000 made by CMI is now the primary tool used by Tucson Police Department for chemical analysis in DUI cases.
Unlike the Intoxilzyer 5000, the Intoxilyzer 8000 is specifically designed to be mobile. The device can be plugged into cigarette lighter, plugged into a normal 120 volt wall socket, or run on batteries.
While based upon the same concept as the Intoxilzyer 5000, the technology within the box is new. The Intoxilyzer 5000 employs a rotating filter wheel to assist it in identifying alcohol quantities in breath. The 8000, in comparison, is entirely solid state with no moving parts. In theory this is suppose to make the device more reliable, however, the 8000 has not been in service long enough for experts to assess its durability.
Intoxilyzer 5000
Prior to the introduction of the Intoxilyzer 8000, the Tucson Police Department primarily used the Intoxilyzer 5000 for chemical testing. Newer versions of the Intoxilyzer 5000 came equipped with a keyboard and memory. When activated, the machines could record a host of internal diagnostic readings along with every test conducted. For years, Tucson Police department resisted using newer versions of the Intoxilzyer, going so far as to return newer versions.
Many in the Tucson / Pima County defense bar believe the Tucson Police Department refused to use the newer models because they wanted to deny the defense bar the wealth of diagnostic information stored within the machine memory.
Tucson Police discontinued use of the Intoxilyzer 5000 several years ago and now uses the Intoxilyzer 8000.
