Police officers around the country are finding that prescription drug use is an increasing cause of impaired drivers. Unfortunately, the impairment is more difficult to recognize than drunken driving and often, tougher to prosecute.
"At first they don’t want to tell you anything," said James Boubelik, a police officer in Mesa, Arizona. "Then as you start seeing these different signs and symptoms they’ll start opening up to you sometimes."
Prescription drug abuse is a huge problem for law enforcement across the country. According to Alberto Gutier, director of the Arizona Governor’s Office of Highway Safety police are becoming more aware of the problem and are now being trained as drug recognition experts.
William Burke, an attorney in Mesa, said that today prescription drug impairment cases comprise between 10 and 25 percent of the cases he prosecutes in court.
"They have multiple prescriptions, and they’re just not aware that if it’s impairing them, they shouldn’t be operating a motor vehicle, even though it says that on the medication," said Burke.
Phoenix has become a center for the training of drug recognition experts. The program was designed by the International Association of Chiefs of Police and is run by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Police officers must complete the program every few years, as the situation is constantly changing.
"We have some of the best drug recognition officers in the country, but also some of the most dedicated officers in the country when it comes to impairment, and we show it," Gutier said.
