DRIVERS ON DRUGS NOW FACE 10 'EXPERTS'

Officers Trained to Identify Impairment

EDMONTON - Ten Edmonton police officers will be named "drug
recognition experts" after this weekend, when they wrap up two weeks
of training aimed at getting high drivers off the roads.

"It's been against the law since the 1920s to drive under the
influence of drugs," said RCMP Cpl. Evan Graham, who co-ordinates the
national drug evaluation classification program.

But the federal government's bill this month to crack down on
impaired drivers puts more emphasis on the skills officers need to
take drug-impaired drivers off the road.

The bill, not yet passed, gives more teeth to laws against impaired
driving, by increasing the fine for a first offence from $600 to
$1,000, and requires drivers suspected of being high to perform
physical tests at the side of the road, like walking in a straight line.

If drivers fail the basic tests, they would be forced to surrender
blood, saliva or urine samples at the police station.

Since 2003, Graham and his team of seven experts from several police
jurisdictions have been travelling across the country to train
officers. So far, 237 Canadian officers are ready to check for drug impairment.

Twenty-two Alberta officers -- 10 from the Edmonton Police Service
and the rest from RCMP detachments, and the Lethbridge and Medicine
Hat police services -- will soon join their ranks.

This is the first time the training program, including 10 days of
classroom instruction and one day of field training, has come to
Alberta. The Calgary Police Service did not take part, Graham said.
"When the legislation passes, we expect every police force in the
country will be participating."

When pulling over drivers suspected of driving under the influence of
illegal, prescription or over-the-counter drugs, trained officers
will be equipped with small flashlights, thermometers and a handful
of other medical equipment to look for unusual pupil dilation, muscle
tone, blood pressure, pulse or temperature.

"The whole evaluation is subjective, but there are things we're
looking for," he said.

Edmonton Crown prosecutor Robert Palser noted drivers on drugs are
charged and prosecuted now. Being able to test body fluids for drug
use will be another tool to support prosecution, he said.