Drug Recognition Expert

Background and Responsibilities

The Drug Evaluation and Classification Program was founded in Los Angeles in the 1970s. At that time, peace officers were routinely arresting drivers that showed gross signs of impairment but were not under the influence of alcohol.

The LAPD utilized the Standardized Field Sobriety tests in conjunction with accepted medical knowledge to devise a step-by-step procedure to enable them to determine drug influence. When a person is suspected of drug use, they are evaluated based on seven drug categories (central nervous system (CNS) depressants, inhalants, dissociative anaesthetics, cannabis, CNS stimulants, hallucinogens and narcotic analgesics) or are ruled out due to a medical condition (illness, mental condition, etc).

This program is being utilized in 46 states, the District of Columbia and Canada. There are over 6500 active DREs in North America.

In October 1995 the program was brought to British Columbia. This training is now being offered to police officers from all agencies in Canada under the umbrella of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police.

When conducting an investigation to elevate suspicion of impairment to probable grounds, a police officer may use a divided attention test battery known as the Standardized Field Sobriety Tests or SFSTs. This test battery has undergone a number of field validation studies in the United States that have shown that it produces accurate indicators of a blood alcohol level of 80mg% (.08) or greater. In addition, the tests do show impairment that can be caused by other things. The SFST test battery consists of Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus, the Walk and Turn test and One Leg Stand test.

The evaluation of a suspected drug impaired driver is conducted by an evaluator who is accredited by the International Association of Chiefs of Police. The Drug Recognition Expert uses a 12-step procedure in performing the evaluation. These steps are:

1) Breath test to rule out alcohol as the primary cause of impairment
2) Interview of the arresting officer
3) Preliminary examination (includes the first of three pulses)
4) Eye examinations (Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus, Vertical Gaze Nystagmus and the ability of the eyes to converge)
5) Divided attention tests (SFSTs plus finger to nose and Romberg balance test)
6) Vital signs examinations (blood pressure, temperature, second pulse)
7) Darkroom examination of pupil sizes (includes examination of nasal and oral cavities)
8) Muscle tone
9) Search for and examination of injection sites
10) Statements and interview of the suspect
11) Opinion of the DRE
12) Toxicological sample (urine and oral fluid or blood)

The toxicological sample is sent to a forensic laboratory for analyses to confirm or refute the findings of the evaluator. The mere presence of a drug in the sample does not constitute sufficient evidence to charge a person as being impaired by a drug. The evaluation must show impairment, indicia consistent with one or more drug categories, and the evaluator’s findings must be supported by the toxicology.