Government

Dakota counties introduce breathalyzer kiosks

Picture courtesy of Precision Kiosk Technologies.

June 4, 2021

Three additional counties in the Dakotas have introduced kiosks from Precision Kiosk Technologies to conduct 24/7 sobriety monitoring: Lawrence and Yankton counties in South Dakota, and Stark County in North Dakota, according to a press release. In the past year, seven 24/7 sobriety programs have made the switch to the fully automated breathalyzer system, which now conducts more than 550 alcohol screening tests a day in the Dakotas.

The Dakotas require participants to submit to court-mandated breathalyzer tests as a condition of their sentences for DUI offenses. In the past, these tests have been administered by sheriff deputies or jail administrators using handheld breathalyzers.

By automating the entire process, the AB Kiosk system eliminates the need for any face-to-face interactions. The system coordinates the schedules for each test, verifies the individual's identity through biometric authentication, captures still images and video as it administers each test, and automatically uploads the results to the client's file.

The kiosk can test up to 40 individuals per hour, and law enforcement staff can access testing data from any computer or smartphone.