By Bryan Eneas

PAPS using a new tool to combat impaired driving

Mar 29, 2017 | 1:33 PM

In time with the recent announcement the federal government will legalize marijuana in 2018, police in Prince Albert are applying a new tool to help fight Saskatchewan’s high rate of impaired driving.

Two officers from the Prince Albert Police Service (PAPS) joined members of the Saskatoon Police Service, the Regina Police Service and the RCMP from around the province to become Drug Recognition Experts. The experts are capable of pressing charges above and beyond what SGI’s impaired driving policy calls for.

“[Before] It was a three day suspension, which wasn’t as good as an impaired charge unfortunately, because we weren’t trained yet,” PAPS const. Rob Lindsay said during a press conference on March 29. “Now that we are trained, we can go ahead and lay that impaired [driving] charge.”

The training takes PAPS’ current standard field sobriety tests to a new level by including more comprehensive examinations. 

“Our first step will be to see if they do have a blood alcohol level,” Lindsay. “If it’s over [.08] we’re going to go that route… say, for example, they blew a zero… but they’re very impaired. That means something else is in their body.”

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Officers will then conduct an interview with the subject along with a preliminary examination to find out if any prescription medications have been ingested, along with a run-down of any food or beverages consumed.

The eyes are then put to test; pupil reaction along with horizontal and vertical eye movements are both examined. Pupils are tested in both regular room and dark room situations.

Lindsay said the eyes “never lie,” and depending on the drugs consumed they will react differently to light and movement tests.

“We’ll get a stimulus or pen, and we’ll get them to follow it with their eyes,” Lindsay said. “If they’re under the influence of a [central nervous system] depressant, their eye will involuntary jerk. There’s no way to fool that test.”

“Divided attention” tests are then taken. Subjects will touch the tip of their nose with their fingertip to assess how well instruction is taken and followed.

Clinical tests are also a part of a drug recognition expert’s repertoire. Blood pressure, temperature and heart rate are taken to help the expert determine what substance a subject may have consumed.

Lindsay said an elevated heartrate is related to stimulant use, where a slower heart rate is typical of depressant use.

Muscle tone is checked, as officers look for tense or flaccid muscles to aide in substance recognition. Arms are also checked for “track marks” left by needles in intravenous drug use. A urine sample is also taken.

An opinion is then formed by taking all of the evidence collected by the drug recognition expert and consulting a chart which identifies drug categories based on results of testing.

Lindsay explained officers who have received drug recognition training are eligible to be called on in trials to provide expert testimony.

Training a Drug Recognition Expert

The officers from Prince Albert travelled to Regina for two weeks, and then to Florida for a week to become certified. Lindsay said the training included comprehensive drug training to learn the differences between illicit substances and how they affect the body.

While in Florida, Lindsay and his fellow officers were put to the test in a real world situation.

He said he was placed in a soup kitchen, and given time to interview people who used the location. During interviews, officers were required to recognize various symptoms of drug use and make an educated guess about what substances their subjects were using.

A drug recognition expert requires yearly certification once the title is achieved. Police officers head to Depot in Regina for a few days “refresher.”

“It was a tough course, it wasn’t easy; but I’m glad I went,” Lindsay said.  

Bryan.Eneas@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @BryanEneas