CALGARY POLICE GET TRAINING TO SNIFF OUT DRIVERS HIGH ON DRUGS

Calgary cops are being trained to ferret out those who drive under
the influence of drugs, the Sun has learned.

Four city traffic officers have started training to become
drug-recognition experts and may soon be able to hit chemically
impaired drivers just as hard as those who hit the road drunk.

Traffic Sgt. Richard Butler said police are still waiting for the
federal government to pass criminal code amendments under Bill C-2,
which will allow officers to arrest those who, after expert testing,
are believed to be under the influence of drugs.

"This is a very important step and it's something that's long
overdue," Butler said.

Butler said drug-recognition programs have been used with great
success in many U.S. states, which employ tactics such as field
sobriety tests to determine if a driver is under the influence of
drugs and unable to drive safely.

While trained officers won't be able to determine the type of drug
being used, they will be able to determine if it falls under one of
six categories, ranging from hallucinogens to depressants.

Currently, police can arrest someone for impaired driving if there is
a smell of marijuana or other indications, but the penalties pale in
comparison to those faced by drunk drivers.

The new federal legislation, which could be passed within weeks but
likely won't come into force until the end of the year, will allow
cops to hit drug-impaired drivers with heavier offences, Butler said.