Impaired Driver Training

Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE)

ARIDE is intended to bridge the gap between the DRE and SFST programs by providing officers with general knowledge related to drug impairment and promoting the use of DREs in states that have the DEC Program. One of the more significant aspects of ARIDE is its review and required student demonstration of the SFST proficiency requirements. The ARIDE program also stresses the importance of securing the most appropriate biological sample in order to identify substances likely causing impairment.

ARIDE is a 16-hour training course and may be taught by DREs, DRE instructors or SFST instructors who are also DREs. The training is conducted under the control and approval of the DEC Program state coordinator.

Drug Impairment Training for Educational Professionals (DITEP)

DITEP training is designed to provide education and tools for school administrators and nurses. It teaches a systematic approach for recognizing and evaluating individuals in the academic environment who are abusing and impaired by drugs, both legal and illegal, in order to provide early recognition and intervention. The methods employed in this training are based on medical and scientific principles. By providing training to school officials and health care professionals, DITEP enables schools to employ an effective evaluation and detection program that will cause drug usage in schools to decline.

Consequently, not only will the disruption caused by those abusing drugs be decreased, but the incidence of those individuals driving to and from schools while impaired by either alcohol or drugs will also be greatly reduced, making our communities and schools a safer place for all.

Law Enforcement Phlebotomy

Law enforcement phlebotomists are police officer/personnel with specialized training to draw blood for investigative purposes including DUI/DWI investigations, DNA testing, communicable disease testing and other reasons. The Arizona Officer Phlebotomy Program started in 1995 in an effort to streamline the search warrant program. In 2000, Cathee Tankersley, the Phoenix College Phlebotomy Director, developed a new course specifically designed for law enforcement.

Arizona statutes allow for breath, blood or urine for DUI cases at the choice of the officer. Some municipalities like Phoenix, Gilbert, Mesa, and Chandler use blood in almost all of their cases while other jurisdictions permit both breath and blood.

DRE

The DEC Program trains police officers and other approved public safety officials as drug recognition experts (DREs) through a three-phase training process:

1. Drug Recognition Expert Pre-School (16 hours)
2. Drug Recognition Expert DRE School (56 hours)
3. Drug Recognition Expert Field Certification (Approximately 40-60 hours)

Once trained and certified, DREs become highly effective officers skilled in the detection and identification of persons impaired by alcohol and/or drugs. DREs are trained to conduct a systematic and standardized 12-step evaluation consisting of physical, mental, medical, and sample collection components.

Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFSTs)

The Standardized Field Sobriety Test (SFST) training is a foundational DUI program designed to assist law enforcement participants with a basic understanding of impaired driver recognition. Through classroom and practical learning environments, the law enforcement participants learn to recognize and describe driving behaviors as well as other indicators of impairment most often exhibited by impaired drivers. Over the course of three days, the law enforcement participants receive 24 hours of training in DUI detection, administration of the SFSTs including Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN), description and documentation of the SFSTs, and overall understanding of the related legal environment.

Jodi Special
Impaired Driving Coordinator
[email protected]
(602) 255-3209

For additional assistance please contact GOHS at 602-255-3216 or
Governor's Office of Highway
1700 West Washington Street
Executive Tower, Suite 430
Phoenix Arizona 85007
Office: (602) 255-3216, Fax: (602) 255-1265