(MICHIGAN) - The Michigan State Police plan to expand a program that field tests impaired drivers for drug usage. The pilot program started in late 2017 in five counties including Berrien County.
The oral fluid test has proven to be able to detect if someone is impaired by drugs while driving.
The oral fluid test can also determine which drug has been taken.
At a traffic stop, a Drug Recognition Expert officer can administer the test by swabbing the
mouth of the suspect and inserting the swab into the testing device. It will then show positive or
negative results for drugs such as meth, cocaine and marijuana.
At the beginning of the pilot, Trooper Jim Janes, a Drug Recognition Expert with the Michigan
State Police in Niles, said drivers must first be pulled over for erratic driving or another offense
before the test is administered.
“They’ll give them a preliminary breath test and if that comes back at a low level or a zero it’s
showing that alcohol is not the cause of the impairment then they might be offered an oral fluid
swab test.”
The test may also be used at the scene of accidents where drug use is suspected to be a cause.
First Lieutenant Jim Flegel said over the course of the pilot the device has been effective.
“So far it has been successful correlating between the independent lab oral fluid test results and
the evidentiary blood test result.”
Flegel said the test shows great promise for establishing probable cause in drugged driving cases.
Expanded use of Drug Recognition Expert officers and the test is expected to start in the fall.