There may soon be a day when that officer shining a flashlight in your face may be checking the alcohol content in the air you breathe out.

This device, called a Passive Alcohol Sensor, looks like a normal flashlight. But along with illuminating objects, it also detects levels of alcohol in the air.

The PAS III, nicknamed “the Sniffer,” first patented in 1992, has not yet made it to the DeKalb area. Lt. Matt Kiederlen of the University Police said that issues of accuracy have prevented the department from investing in this gadget.

DeKalb County Sheriff Roger Scott had not heard of the PAS III, but showed interest in the product.

“I haven’t seen or heard of them, but I sure would like to try one,” Scott said.

Lt. Jim Kayes of the DeKalb Police Department said his department has the portable, preliminary breath testers for use in the field, and both the sheriff’s office and UP have the PBTs as well. Each department contains a main unit that is typically accurate and they are kept at the stations.

According to the company’s Web site, the Sniffer is not meant to replace the standard breathalyzers officers use, but to provide an accurate “nose” for alcohol, smelling the air in vehicles and around people. The company warns that the tests are not meant to be used as evidence to convict drunk drivers, but provide a helping-hand to officers that may not be able to detect alcohol on their own, since colds and cover-up odors may limit an officer’s ability to detect alcohol on a driver’s breath.

The sensor only needs a few seconds to detect alcohol in a 10-inch radius and is able to detect alcohol not only in the air exhaled, but also can sense open containers of alcohol in enclosed spaces. The sensors need about a minute to reset themselves after alcohol is detected to be able to test again, according to the company, but can be reused in a matter of seconds if the air is clear.

Scott said that the $615 retail price according to the company Web site is not outrageous, considering the standard portable breathalyzers run $200 to $300 a piece. If the interest in the product grows, the Sniffer may be hitting area streets with local officers.