Imagine histroy, Cruiser lights start spinning out of control. Cop connects suspect to his vehicle with alcohol. Driver may be under the influence. But there’s no alcohol on his breath; doesn’t seem drunk to the officer. Well aint that inconvenient Enter the Drug Recognition Expert, or DRE. The DRE watches you closely with experience and sharp instincts. Looks out for those people driving under the influence of drugs.
DREs are highly specialized officers. They’ve been through training that’s more layered than the average lasagna. And they’re not just guessing using a process that involves 12 steps that mimic in a way a murder mystery detective unravels. From watching your behavior, checking your vitals,doing specific tests every investigation adds one more piece to the puzzle. It’s a clinical examination outside the lab.
A personal anecdote – Charlie, a very close friend. One night was stopped, driving like a mouse in a cat den he thought he was just “tired”. DRE had an entirely different opinion. He ended up in a nacotics test and proved right. “I’m not drunk” Charlie had argued. DRE had said, “No, but you are way high.” Charlie still shares a laugh about it, but he’s grateful for the eagle eye that caught him.
Why is this impotent? Road safety isn’t just fixing to catch street racers. Safety includes stopping those on road who may be under hazy drug trips. While breathalyzers blindy deal with alcohol, DREs are on the lookout for a vast variations of narcotics. It is also becoming more important due to an increase in casual & prescription medications on the road.
Next time you are on the streets of city, prolly the person next to you is not just solely in control of a car. In the whole chaos of the horn honking and pushing, there is a specialist with sight keener than an eagle, taking care of things. DRE on duty absolutely means a safer ride for everyone no matter if you’re in a fancy racer or a wagon.