Drug Recognition Expert Program (DRE)

Drug Recognition Expert (DRE)

All applicants and participating agencies shall provide a letter of endorsement prior to enrollment in a DRE school. The letter of endorsement provided by the participating agency acknowledges and agrees to the requirements of this program set forth in the National Standards. 
The standards include:

• Completion of the DRE classroom training (72 hours)
• DRE Field Certification Training (approximately 32 hours) 
• Biannual recertification
  
  All applicants shall attend and complete all phases of the DRE Training.
  Students wishing to enroll in DRE classes must show proof of completion of Standardized Field Sobriety Testing (SFST) Course and ARIDE Course.
  
  A drug recognition expert or drug recognition evaluator (DRE) is a police officer trained to recognize impairment in drivers under the influence of drugs other than, or in addition to, alcohol. The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) coordinates the International Drug Evaluation and Classification (DEC) Program with support from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of the U.S. Department of Transportation. In addition to officers, who are certified as DREs, the DEC Program educates prosecutors and toxicologists on the DRE process and the drug categories.
  
  What They Do | International Association of Chiefs of Police
  12-Step-DRE-Process.pdf
  7-Drug-Categories.pdf

Three determinations of a DRE

A DRE conducts a detailed, diagnostic examination of persons arrested or suspected of drug-impaired driving or similar offenses. Based on the results of the drug evaluation, the DRE forms an expert opinion on the following:

1. Is the person impaired? If so, is the person able to operate a vehicle safely? If the DRE concludes that the person is impaired…
2. Is the impairment due to an injury, illness or other medical complication, or is it drug-related? If the impairment is due to drugs…
3. Which category or combination of categories of drugs is the most likely source of the impairment?

DREs conduct their evaluations in a controlled environment, typically at police precincts, intake centers, troop headquarters or other locations where impaired drivers are transported after arrest. The drug evaluation is not normally done at roadside and is typically a post-arrest procedure.

In some cases, the person evaluated will be a driver of the DRE personally arrested. In many cases, however, the DRE will be called upon to conduct the evaluation after the driver is arrested by another officer.

The DRE is requested to assist in the investigation because of his or her special expertise and skills in identifying drug impairment.

The DRE drug evaluation takes approximately one hour to complete. The DRE evaluates and assesses the person’s appearance and behavior. The DRE also carefully measures and records vital signs and makes precise observations of the person’s automatic responses and reactions. The DRE also administers carefully designed psychophysical tests to evaluate the person’s judgment, information processing ability, coordination and various other characteristics. The DRE will systematically consider everything about the person that could indicate the influence of drugs.