Opinion ID: 1928749
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Does the State's Failure to Comply With Chapter 321J Require the Exclusion of the Breath Test Results?

Text: The State's final argument is Palmer's arrest by one who does not qualify as a peace officer under section 321J.1(7) should not be the basis for suppression of the breath test results. As the State correctly points out, we have excluded evidence under section 321J.6 only if a foundational requirement of the statute is violated. See State v. Kelly, 430 N.W.2d 427, 430 (Iowa 1988); Schlemme, 301 N.W.2d at 724. A requirement is considered foundational when the failure to comply with a particular statutory provision undermines one of the purposes of the statute. Kelly, 430 N.W.2d at 430. We have already concluded chapter 321J's limited definition of peace officer was intended to protect the public from harassment and indiscriminate testing by law enforcement officers who lacked the training required by section 321J.1(7)(e). A failure to require this training would, therefore, undermine one of the purposes of section 321J.6's requirement that the arrest be made by a peace officer. Consequently, this requirement is foundational and provides a sound basis upon which to exclude the results of Palmer's breath test.