County's breathalizer tests are state-of-the-art

If you fail a breathalizer test in Ventura County, it's highly unlikely the procedure was faulty.

The Ventura County Sheriff's Department Forensic Sciences Laboratory has become the first lab worldwide to achieve accreditation for its breath alcohol calibrations through the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors/Laboratory Accreditation Board.

"The Ventura County's breath alcohol calibration program is now recognized to meet more scientifically stringent specifications than the oversight provided in the past by the California Department of Public Health," said Renee Artman, laboratory manager. "I have always known that the sheriff's department provides a quality program to our community, made up of state-of-the-art instrumentation and the best qualified and talented scientists in the field. Now this knowledge is shared among the forensic community."

The lab demonstrated that its operations and overall management systems meet more than 400 criteria of board requirements.

The on-site assessment was conducted in April, when both in-lab and in-field breath alcohol calibration operations were evaluated.

Accreditation was granted during a board meeting in June.

Janet Anderson-Seaquist, sheriff's department alcohol section supervisor, has been appointed to serve on the board's Technical Advisory Committee.