Cheyenne, Laramie Police Host Alcohol Workshop

The Cheyenne and Laramie Police Department's held a joint ''Wet Lab Alcohol Workshop'' Monday in Cheyenne to raise awareness of drunk driving and the hazards it poses.

The workshop featured several people, including Townsquare Media's Trevor T. Trujillo, drinking alcoholic beverages and then being subjected to a battery of tests by police officers. Cheyenne Police Department spokesman officer Dan Long says one of several things to be learned from the workshop is that people who have been drinking often underestimate their level of intoxication and overestimate their ability to drive.

Police also discussed how they decide to stop someone for drunk driving and the variety of field tests they may administer before subjecting a motorist to a breathalyzer tests. One common test is a gaze test, in which the officer will shine a flashlight into a motorists eyes while slowly moving a pen or similar object in front of their face, While a sober person's eyes will move smoothly, someone under the influence of alcohol or other sedatives will experience a rapid jerking of their eyes.

Other common field tests include reciting the alphabet or walking several steps in a straight line. Cheyenne Police Chief Brian Kozak says the departments hosts such events several times a year.