Sharing Drug Recognition Expert Resources [Traffic Tech]

NHTSA · 2023 · ROSA P / United States. Department of Transportation. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

archive: archived pipeline: cataloged verified

Get this paper ↗ (full text — opens at the source; we link to it, we don't host it)

Summary

This report addresses the logistical and operational challenges associated with sharing Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) resources among law enforcement agencies. DREs are officers trained to identify drug-impaired drivers, a critical capability given the rise in such cases. However, many agencies, particularly smaller ones, lack the staffing or perceived value to justify sending officers through the rigorous 72-hour certification process. Consequently, DRE availability is uneven; for instance, Virginia had only 22 DREs across 340 agencies, and Colorado had 179 across 246 agencies. The report aims to identify successful strategies for sharing these limited resources to maximize training benefits, reduce investigative burdens on small agencies, and improve prosecution rates. The study employed a mixed-methods approach to gather best practices. Researchers conducted a web-based literature review, analyzed discussions in a DRE Facebook group and the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) forum, and interviewed statewide and local DRE coordinators. The findings are synthesized into recommendations covering planning, policies, technology, funding, and case studies from eight selected locations, including agencies in Colorado, Florida, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Oregon. Key findings indicate that successful resource-sharing does not require complex infrastructure or formal agreements. Agencies utilize a range of tools, from simple text messages and phone calls to robust web-based emergency management systems like Everbridge. Effective programs establish standard operating procedures, designate on-call rank structures, and define clear response boundaries, often encompassing entire judicial circuits. Critical to success is having a "champion" or coordinator to spearhead the effort and ensure stakeholder buy-in from police chiefs, sheriffs, prosecutors, and dispatch centers. The report emphasizes that communication and awareness are vital; agencies must actively advertise the availability of DREs to neighboring jurisdictions. Regarding administration, the report highlights that reimbursement mechanisms significantly influence participation. Agencies are advised to simplify funding processes, such as using shared funding codes or allowing purchase orders for grant compensation, rather than requiring individual claims. Additionally, policies should accommodate officer compensation for overtime and provide time for report writing and court appearances. The study concludes that while approaches vary from informal word-of-mouth arrangements to formal memorandums of understanding, the most important components are clear leadership, widespread awareness of DRE availability, and reliable response mechanisms. The report serves as a guide for agencies to either initiate new sharing programs or enhance existing ones, ensuring that DRE expertise is accessible to all agencies within a region.

Key finding

Sharing Drug Recognition Expert resources across agencies maximizes the benefits of specialized training, reduces the operational burden on smaller law enforcement departments, and enhances the successful prosecution of drug-impaired driving cases.

Methodology

mixed_methods

Provenance

The full processing record for this entry. Every stage of this paper's journey through the pipeline is logged — what ran, with which tool and model, how many attempts it took, and when it last completed. Discovered via bulk_ingest_rosap on 2026-05-23 (6 acquisition events logged).

Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-10; verification: verified.

Topics

Ranked by relevance to this paper. Hover a topic for its definition.

• dui enforcement