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Law Enforcement Phlebotomy Program

The Indiana Criminal Justice Institute offers a Phlebotomy training program for Indiana Officers. Vincennes University collaborates with the Indiana State Department of Health and the Indiana State Department of Toxicology for the training program.

This program provides Law Enforcement Phlebotomy (LEP) officers with specific policies and procedures that offer guidance for agencies wanting to adopt the program.  The law enforcement phlebotomist will work under the direction of policies signed by a physician at the Indiana Department of Health. In the class, we qualify the officers to draw blood. Indiana Code 9-30-6-6-6 (i-k) IGA | 2024 Indiana Code gives the officer the authority to draw blood.

Program Benefits:

  • Cost-free training and blood draw kits for qualified officers
  • Reduced impact on healthcare operations
  • No additional healthcare costs for blood draws
  • Simplifies the chain of custody
  • An increase in more timely, accurate data
  • Maximizes productivity, while minimizing officers out of service

By the numbers

October 2022 - Mid June 2024

54

Qualified officers in the state

419

Total blood draws completed

5

Recertification completed

Testimonial

Lt. Casey Lehman with the Elkhart County Sheriff's Department has completed 36 successful blood draws since February 2023. Not only has he completed draws for his department, but he has also assisted in blood draws for Goshen, Nappanee, and Bristol. Nappanee now has 2 of their officers qualified and are completing blood draws.

" Elkhart County Sheriff's Deputies have been using the LEPP program since Spring of 2023. We have found this program to be a success with a reduction in having to drive to a medical facility and then to have to wait for medical professionals to conduct our venipunctures. Depending on what medical facility is used, the drivetime can add anywhere from 30 min to 45 minutes. Also depending on the medical facility capacity, we were seeing wait times between 15 minutes to 1 hour. By using a LEPP-trained Officer, these blood draws can be completed within 5-10 minutes of the arrival of the Officer. The efficiency of the LEPP program has improved the efficiency of completing blood draws by an estimated 75%. This program provides efficiency to our OWI and other criminal investigations to have quick samples drawn for an accurate report on what drugs a subject may or may not have used."

Training Opportunities

Trainings are held at the MADE facility in Plainfield, IN. There are no current training availabilities. Check back later for new training dates.

Legal questions

Erica J. Dobbs

Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor

Indiana Prosecuting Attorneys Council

Phone: 317-232-1836

Email: erdobbs@ipac.in.gov

Program/medical questions

Jennifer Hacker, BS, CHES, CMA

Law Enforcement Phlebotomy Coordinator

Phone: 812-325-6424

Email: jennifer.hacker@vinu.edu

Law enforcement reference

Lieutenant Casey Lehman

Elkhart County Sheriff's Department

Phone: 574-891-2372

Email: CLehman@elkhartcountysheriff.com

26861 County Rd 26, Building A, Elkhart, IN 46517

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