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Impaired Driving and DRE Programs

 

ARIDE Refresher Course

Click Here for Registration and More Information

The ARIDE Refresher course was developed for law enforcement officers who have attended the 16-hour in-person ARIDE course. It is designed to provide the officers with key concepts taught in the full two-day training through an interactive web-based format to refresh their skills.

NHTSA's ARIDE training is a 16-hour, in-person instructor-led course that builds on the skills of the Standardized Field Sobriety Tests to enhance a law enforcement officer's ability to detect impaired driving and enforce relevant laws.  With the development of the 4-hour ARIDE Refresher eLearning course, officers trained in ARIDE can refresh their skills without having to attend an in-person course; instead, they can access the course when their schedule allows, from anywhere with an internet connection.  Featuring highly skilled and well-trained subject matter experts from across the country, this course will allow learners to re-engage with the material from the in-person course while testing their knowledge through realistic scenarios and testing before, during, and after the training.

Officers can sign up for an account to access the training at www.copstrainingportal.org  It requires minimal information and gives the officer access to all courses offered through the LMS. All courses are free and can be taken at the officers’ own pace.

Once your account is created navigate to E-Learning Courses, Drug Awareness & Enforcement, and select Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE) Refresher.

Upon completion, please provide the certificate of completion and the supporting documentation to Jen Hier (Jennifer.hier@vermont.gov) at the Vermont Police Academy.  You will receive 4 credit hours for this training


DUI Detection/SFST Course and DMT Certification

April 14-18, 2025 @ 08:00-16:30

This 40-hour course provides police officers with the knowledge and skills to identify alcohol-impaired drivers, conduct SFSTs, and operate the DMT Infrared Breath Testing Device used to collect evidentiary breath samples for DUI cases. The course, delivered by VCJC-certified instructors, instructors from the Vermont Forensic Laboratory Toxicology Section, and the State's Attorney's Office, provides Infrared Breath Testing Device Certification.

The following topics are also discussed:

  • DUI Law and Case Law
  • Physiological and Psychological Effects of Alcohol
  • DUI Detection and Apprehension Techniques
  • Standardized Field Sobriety Exercises
  • DUI Processing Forms
  • Courtroom Testimony at the DUI Trial
  • Introduction to Drugged Driving

* Homework Required.


DRE Training School

Phases I & II March 24 - April 4, 2025. Phase III April 21 - 26, 2025.

Application deadline is January 15, 2025.

Click Here for the Application

For more information about the DECP visit www.DECP.org, or visit https://shso.vermont.gov/programs/dre


DRE Online Continuing Education Opportunities

Title: Working Professionally with DUI Victims & Survivors (1.5 Hours)

Date: Wed, Dec 18, 2024

Time: 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM EST

Registration Link: Registration (gotowebinar.com)

This course will be an overview how to best work with DUI Victims & Survivors, providing a basic understanding of how trauma affects victims of DUI related offenses, and based upon that, how to work with drunk and drugged driving victims and survivors with both professionalism and compassion. It will allow for prosecutors and law enforcement to hear from a victim of a DUI who lost loved ones and had to deal not just with her loss but with issues related to the court system. She will be able to explain all of her interactions – both good and bad – with prosecutors, defense attorneys and the court system. She will explain how some in the court system treated her professionally, and others didn’t. She will emphasize what one needs to make sure to do in order to act with compassion and professionalism when dealing with victims and how more professional treatment at some stages of the process could have made it much less difficult to deal with. Finally, members of MADD Florida will discuss the MADD Florida Victim Services Program and provide prosecutors and law enforcement with resources – such as victim advocate contacts – which will be able to assist them to handle DUI victims more professionally.


Title: A Wild Ride: Psychedelics & Impaired Driving (1.5 Hours)

Date: Tue, Jan 14, 2025

Time: 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM EST

Registration Link: Registration (gotowebinar.com)

Hallucinogens such as psilocybin, LSD, and MDMA have recently garnered research and media attention as potential therapies for depression, PTSD, and other psychological disorders. Some jurisdictions in the United States, including Oregon and Colorado, have decriminalized psilocybin and other natural hallucinogens, such as mescaline and dimethyltryptamine (DMT). In 2021 and 2022, crime laboratories observed significant increases in psilocybin/psilocin drug seizure submissions. However, due to historically low prevalence and challenges in toxicology testing, involvement of psychedelics in impaired driving may be difficult to identify. The relevance, pharmacology, and potential impact of hallucinogens on traffic safety will be presented and explored. This workshop is supported by the SOFT/AAFS Drugs and Driving Committee.


Title: DRE and the IACP 2025: Updates & Enhancements (1.5 Hours)

Date: Tue, Feb 25, 2025

Time: 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM EST

Registration Link: Registration (gotowebinar.com)

This session is intended to provide an update on projects related to and affecting the DRE program that are underway, as well as new offerings to help further ARIDE and DRE training. Additionally, it will provide updates on recent and pending Frye/Daubert Hearings regarding the DRE program. Finally, it will provide information on judicial and prosecutor training related to the DRE program.


Title: Driving Under the Influence of Dissociative Anesthetics: Pharmacology & Case Profiles (1.5 Hours)

Date: Tue, Mar 18, 2025

Time: 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM EDT

Registration Link: Registration (gotowebinar.com)

Dissociative anesthetics are a class of psychedelic drugs that induce a type of anesthesia characterized by catalepsy, amnesia, marked analgesia, minimal respiratory depression, and feeling of detachment from one’s environment. Phencyclidine (PCP), ketamine, and dextromethorphan belong to this class, which induce dissociative anesthetic effects via antagonism of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor. In this workshop, attendees will learn pharmacology of main dissociative anesthetics, including chemical structures, mechanism of action, metabolism, and other pharmacokinetic parameters to be considered when evaluating the effects of the drugs during impaired driving investigations. This workshop will also cover emergence and prevalence of novel dissociative anesthetics (PCP and ketamine analogs), as well as findings from the extensive case study on PCP-positive drivers in Houston over 10 years. This workshop is supported by the SOFT/AAFS Drugs and Driving Committee.


Title: Cannabis and the Eyes (1.5 Hours)

Date: Tue, Apr 22, 2025

Time: 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM EDT

Registration Link: Registration (gotowebinar.com)

As cannabis DUI cases are on the rise, it is crucial for both prosecutors and law enforcement to understand the specifics behind cannabis impairment. A hotly discussed issue in this realm is that of the effects of Cannabis on the Eyes. This session will seek to educate both prosecutors and law enforcement on this important area. It will describe and discuss various changes to pupil responses and eye movements that can occur with cannabis impairment, including: mydriasis, rebound dilation, eyelid tremors, lack of convergence, lack of smooth pursuit, and saccadic intrusions.