Impaired Driving Training | Colorado Peace Officer Standards and Training

Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement

The Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE) program was developed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) with input from the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Technical Advisory Panel (TAP) and the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police. ARIDE was created to address the gap in training between the Standardized Field Sobriety Testing (SFST) and the Drug Evaluation and Classification (DEC) Program.

ARIDE is intended to bridge the gap between these two programs by providing officers with general knowledge related to drug impairment and by 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 will be conducted under the control and approval of the DEC Program state coordinator. NHTSA and IACP highly recommend that principal instructors for this course be state-qualified and IACP-credentialed DRE instructors; that is, they (1) hold currently valid certificates as DREs; (2) have completed the NHTSA/IACP DRE Instructor Training Course; and (3) have completed the required delivery of both classroom and certification training, under the supervision of credentialed DRE instructors. At minimum, a qualified DRE with instructor credentials in other fields of occupational competency (not necessarily a DRE instructor) can be utilized to present ARIDE materials if instructor resources are limited and cannot be resolved at the state coordinator’s level without undue hardship.

The training also promotes interaction with representatives from the state’s prosecution community. Part of the course is intended to be taught by a local prosecutor or the state’s traffic safety resource prosecutor (TSRP).

The ARIDE program was successfully piloted in Connecticut, Kentucky, Washington and West Virginia. These states were selected based on NHTSA’s desire to have representation in the pilot study from states with, and without, the DEC program. Seven pilot courses trained 205 law enforcement officers, prosecutors and toxicologists. Law enforcement represented 186 (90%).

Drug Recognition Experts Program

A Colorado Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) is a law enforcement officer trained to recognize impairment in drivers under the influence of drugs other than, or in addition to, alcohol. The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) coordinates the International Drug Evaluation and Classification (DEC) Program with support from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of the U.S. Department of Transportation.

The Colorado DRE program began in 1987. As of 2015:

575 Colorado law enforcement officers have completed DRE training
There are 212 active DREs
Sixty-two agencies have DREs
The Colorado State Patrol has the most DREs (64)

Please reference the Colorado Department of Transportation website or contact CDOT Highway Safety Manager, Carol Gould for further information or to sign up for training.

Kim Ferber
Colorado Department of Transportation
303-757-9069
Click to email.

Standard Field Sobriety Testing

Standards in this section specify the criteria that must be met prior to an individual's completion in the Standardized Field Sobriety Testing (SFST) Program. These criteria outline the knowledge and skills required to be considered for training, as well as the knowledge required for completion of the program.

The current approved curriculum involves a three-day training program. Prior to beginning the training program, participants should have an interest in traffic law enforcement with an emphasis on DUI/DWI. During this training, participants are taught to administer and interpret the results of the SFST battery, including horizontal gaze nystagmus (HGN), walk-and-turn and the one-leg-stand.

Upon completion of this classroom training, the student must pass a comprehensive written examination and successfully complete a proficiency examination witnessed by an SFST instructor.

SFST Rules

Check the POST Training Calendar for available classes.

Upon completion of this classroom training, the student must pass a comprehensive written examination and successfully complete a proficiency examination witnessed by an SFST instructor.

SFST, ARIDE and DRE Certification and Update Guide

CDOT SFST Standards

All SFST and DRE practitioners and instructors must maintain compliance with Colorado State Standards in order to perform roadside maneuvers, evaluations or instruction.

Key:
- SFST (Standard Field Sobriety Test)
- ARIDE (Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Education)
- DRE (Drug Recognition Expert)
- CDAC (Colorado District Attorney Council)
- CDOT (Colorado Department of Transportation)
- POST (Colorado Peace Officer Standards and Training)
- TSRP (Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor)
- IACP (The International Association of Chiefs of Police)

COURSE	SFST- Standard Field Sobriety Test	SFST Instructor	ARIDE- Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Education	DRE-Drug Recognition Expert	DRE Instructor	DRE Course manager
Pre-requisites	Required in all POST certified academies	Current SFST Practitioner	Current SFST practitioner	Current SFST practitioner and successfully passed ARIDE	Current DRE practitioner	Selected by State DRE Coordinator
Duration and description of course	24-hour course, providing the basic instruction for SFST practitioners.	NHTSA 32-hour SFST Instructor Development Course	16-hour course on advanced detection of drug impaired drivers	72-hour DRE training, field certification and final knowledge exam	40-hour NHTSA DRE Instructor Development Course	As recommended by State Coordinator
Update Required	2 hours of update training every two years from the date of your last certification. Dates of certification maintained by POST	8 hours of instructor update every 2 years from the date of last instructor certification	No	8 hours of update training every two years from the last date of certification. Initial certification: Must complete 3 evaluations and 1 additional evaluation witnessed by a DRE instructor.	8 hours of instruction every 2 years. Class instruction is considered a DRE school, ARIDE, SFST school, field evaluations, or as approved by the DRE state coordinator	N/A
Who can teach a basic course	SFST Instructor	CDOT approved SFST instructor	DRE Instructor (An SFST instructor may teach session 1-3 on the first day of ARIDE)	CDOT approved DRE instructor	DRE instructor	IACP DRE section-approved instructor
*Who can teach an Update* course**	SFST Instructor, agency-chosen instructors, or CDAC TSRP	SFST instructor or those selected by CDOT	N/A	DRE, DRE instructor or others approved by CDOT	DRE instructor or others approved by CDOT	N/A
Certification expiration information	If the certification expires, you must complete another 24-hour introductory course.	If the certification expires, you must attend NHTSA 320hour Instructor Development Course	N/A	Expired DRE cannot perform field evaluations. Contact DRE state coordinator with expiration questions.	If the certification expires, you must attend the 40-hour instructor class again.	N/A
Courses that cover multiple update	Approved by CDOT	Approved by CDOT	This course may count toward a one-time SFST practitioner or instructor update	Approved by CDOT	See "Update Required" above	N/A
Who approves courses that apply to re-certification requirements	CDOT	CDOT	N/A	DRE CDOT state coordinator	N/A	N/A
Who can host a class	Any Agency. POST funding may be available.	Any agency and CDOT will host several updates annually. POST funding may be available.	Any agency. POST funding may be available.	CDOT	N/A	Coordinated by the IACP DRE Section.
Miscellaneous	Agencies are responsible for entering training into the POST portal and maintaining compliance	Agencies are responsible for entering training into the POST portal and tracking classes.	Prerequisite of the DRE school.	CDOT hosts 5 regional DRE update and at least 2 certification nights annually