SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) – Nine more South Dakota law enforcement officers are now specially trained to detect and deter drugged drivers.
The nine officers attended the Drug Recognition Expert Class in Sioux Falls. They are trained to recognize signs of impairment in drivers under the influence. The international program educates officers on the means to detect and deter drugged driving.
“Having DREs all across the state will enhance our efforts to reduce all types of impaired driving in our state,” Lieutenant Isaac Kurtz, South Dakota DRE coordinator said in a news release. “DREs improve traffic safety through their knowledge of the signs, symptoms and effects of drug use.”
The recent course saw officers representing the Beresford, Box Elder, Cheyenne River Sioux, Vermillion and Watertown police departments, as well as the Hand, Lincoln and Turner County Sheriff’s Offices and the South Dakota Highway Patrol.
There are now 65 drug recognition experts in South Dakota law enforcement.
