As a certified DRE, an officer is able to determine if a subject is impaired and unable to operate a motor vehicle in a safe manner. The DRE rules out medical reasons for impairment. Several cases have been documented where the DRE has saved the life of a subject by referring them to a medical care facility. After the 12-step evaluation, the DRE determines which category of drug(s) is influencing the subject at the time of the evaluation. The goal of the DECP is to reduce drug impaired driving crashes.
Drug Recognition Expert Program
Agencies participating in the DRE Program should be aware of the following commitments and expectations:
Strong agency support for traffic enforcement
Ongoing OWI public information and education
A training commitment of 20 days
If selected to attend DRE School, your agency is responsible for:
All meals
Baggage fees associated with airline travel
Airport parking fees
**Other expenses: airfare, lodging, equipment, and educational materials funded by GTSB.
Participating agencies are requested to demonstrate their commitment to the DECP in several ways:
Encourage the DRE to aggressively seek opportunities to use their expertise
Allow the DRE to respond to calls for DRE evaluations whenever possible
Make themselves available to county attorneys on impaired driving cases
Certified peace officer with extensive OWI and traffic enforcement background to include courtroom testimony
Standardized Field Sobriety Testing (SFST) certified in OWI/traffic enforcement and prosecution
The DRE training consists of the following phases:
DRE School: 10 days
Out-of-state Certification: 8 nights
The DRE is required to maintain a log of evaluations and requests and enter the information into the national DRE database.
Application process for the Spring 2025 DRE School is open!
In state classroom - Drury Inn & Suites, West Des Moines, Iowa
April 21-25 and April 28-May 2, 2025
Out-of-State Field Certifications - Jacksonville, Florida
