South Fulton police are looking for officers to draw blood after a standoff at Grady Memorial Hospital

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – After South Fulton police tried and failed to collect a blood sample from an Atlanta police officer accused of shooting and killing an off-duty man, they want to Hire more people qualified for blood collection scene.

According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), Melvin Potter allegedly shot and killed a man outside a bar in College Park in early August after an argument. South Fulton police said he refused a breathalyzer test, as was his right – but was charged with obstruction when he refused to comply with a signed warrant for the blood test.

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South Fulton police said Grady Memorial Hospital also would not comply with the warrant. Atlanta News First has reached out to the hospital for comment but has not yet heard back.

Now the department is looking for a solution. She wants to hire up to five people who can take blood on site. Under state law, only doctors, registered nurses, laboratory technicians, paramedics or people who have taken a phlebotomy course are allowed to draw blood to determine blood alcohol content.

A phlebotomist is someone trained to collect blood for testing or donation.

“As we look at the capabilities of the City of South Fulton Police Department, we want to ensure that we are building it in a way that our residents value the values ​​and resources we add to those values. South Fulton Police Chief Keith Meadows told Atlanta News First. “So as we move forward, we want to ensure that these circumstances do not reoccur, and that is one of the reasons we have conducted extensive research to potentially hire and recruit more phlebotomists into our organization.”

South Fulton police said a qualified professional with a signed search warrant can legally draw blood from a suspect at the scene to conduct a DUI investigation – even without the suspect’s consent. If a certified officer is not available at this time, the department will speak with local fire departments to see if a paramedic can respond instead.

“The subject’s refusal would not prevent the blood draw,” South Fulton police said in a statement. “However, appropriate force must be used to ensure safety and if the issue is too combative, officers may decide not to proceed with the draw for safety reasons.”

The GBI is still investigating the shooting involving Potter. He was released from the Fulton County Jail on $1,000 bail on Aug. 5, the same day he was arraigned.

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