PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION
Drivers under the influence of alcohol or other drugs have become a significant risk to other motorists and the general public who use Georgia roadways. In 1998, the chance of a motor vehicle crash resulting in death was almost 10 times greater if a driver was impaired by alcohol or other drugs, compared to crashes involving a non-impaired driver. In addition to the loss of life, the financial impact of impaired driving on Georgia is staggering. In 1998, the estimated economic loss due to traffic crashes was $5.3 billion. This amounts to $708 for every resident of the state. A study conducted by the Georgia Bureau of Investigations further indicates that more than 30 percent of motorists charged with impaired driving also have detectable levels of controlled substances in their system.

Efforts by Georgia law enforcement agencies to address this serious issue were hampered by the fact that very few police officers were trained in the proper procedures for alcohol and other drug impairment detection. Although more than 300 officers requested formal training, the Georgia Police Academy was forced to deny their requests, because of insufficient financial resources.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
To help meet the increasing demand for training courses, workshops and classes for law enforcement officers, the Georgia Governor's Office of Highway Safety sponsored the Drug Evaluation and Classification Program in 2000. Specific objectives of the program are to:

• Conduct 16 DUI/Detection and Standardized Field Sobriety Testing (SFST)-Basic courses, one SFST Instructor Update course, and one SFST Update course
• Provide two Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) certification courses, one DRE Recertification course and 25 DRE Field Certification workshops
• Present 12 Advanced Traffic Law courses, and 6 Drugs That Impair Driving courses
• Offer one DUI Detection and Standard Field Sobriety Instructor course, two DUI Case Preparation & Courtroom Presentation courses and two DUI Case Report Writing courses
  

STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES
Using grant funding sponsored by the GOHS, the Georgia Police Academy developed the Drug Evaluation and Classification Program, with the intention to offer the training curriculum to more than 1,000 law enforcement officers statewide. Press releases were issued publicizing each law enforcement officer's successful completion of a section course or program area. This practice helped to increase public awareness of the magnitude of Georgia's impaired driving problem, and the specific steps local law enforcement agencies are taking to address the issue. Law enforcement training activities include the following:

• Disseminating information regarding the significance of this type of training to local law enforcement agencies
• Providing update courses on DRE and SFST procedures, to keep law enforcement officers informed of procedural or legal changes affecting their DUI enforcement duties
• Training new instructors to address the growing demand for DUI enforcement training
• Offering courses to prepare law enforcement officers for courtroom litigation, to ensure that they possess current and reliable information and skills to assist in the prosecution of alcohol and other drug impaired drivers

RESULTS
During Fiscal Year 2000, the Georgia Police Academy certified 32 new DREs and 12 DRE Instructors in accordance with International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) standards. In Fiscal Year 2001, nine additional DREs were certified, and 23 are currently in the field evaluation stage of training. These new DREs represent more than 35 different law enforcement agencies throughout Georgia, including two from Florida and one from Tennessee.

Georgia's 76 DREs have conducted 337 evaluations, and rendered 433 opinions. The state confirmation rate for these opinions is 93 percent, with the drug of choice being Cannabis, and the average age of the Cannabis user being 15 to 20 years of age.