by Mike Simmons
Many people know what an intoxilyzer is. It is the instrument that measures the amount of alcohol a person has on his or her breath. It is often used in cases when someone who is driving a vehicle or boat is suspected of being under the influence. For a police officer to use the intoxilyzer, he or she must complete a training class followed by a test.
The first instrument used to determine alcohol on a person’s breath was called a drunkometer, but was often pronounced drunk-o-meter. It was a crude instrument introduced in 1931 that was easily manipulated by the dial that was used when the officer first began the test. However, the ease of manipulation caused people to nickname the drunkometer the “dial-a-drunk.”
In late 1957, Pensacola Police Sergeant (later Chief) D.P. Caldwell learned that a new instrument, called the breathalyzer, was being introduced on the market. The inventor was Captain Robert F. Borkenstein, director of the Indiana State Police Lab. Sgt. Caldwell, following up on a request from Chief Crosby Hall, called Captain Borkenstein and let him know that the Pensacola Police were interested in purchasing one of his inventions, but they wanted to see a demonstration first.
On January 18, 1958, Captain Borkenstein arrived in Pensacola and met Sgt. Caldwell at the police station. He was put up at the ritzy San Carlos hotel so he could get a good night’s sleep before the demonstration the next day.
“But,” Captain Borkenstein confided to Sgt. Calwell. “I need to run a test tonight…just to be sure.”
“What do you mean?” asked the sergeant. “I thought you knew it worked.”
The captain looked at him and said, “I do, but…I have never actually run a test to be sure it works right.”
The sergeant, a teetotaler, made some phone calls. He had no trouble rounding up volunteers. A few officers met at the San Carlos and, within hours, were drunk enough to test. The tests went off without a hitch. The next day, the demonstration went great, and the Pensacola Police Department purchased the breathalyzer. Good purchase. It served them for many years. In fact, it became the go-to tool for getting DUI drivers off the road for many years throughout the world!
It wasn’t realized until much later. The first breathalyzer test in the world was conducted in downtown Pensacola!
Interesting!