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Drug Recognition Evaluator job description

The program

The Drug Recognition Evaluator (DRE) is an officer trained to determine if a motorist is impaired by substances other than (or in addition to) alcohol. The DRE performs a 30-to-45-minute evaluation on the impaired driver. After the evaluation, the DRE can determine the category of drug(s) that is impairing the driver’s ability to drive safely. 

Drug evaluation and classification training is sponsored by the Minnesota Office of Traffic Safety. It is funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and administered by the International Association of Chief’s of Police (IACP). The training is free of charge and offered annually. 

The successful prosecution of drug-impaired drivers is a three-pronged approach: 

  1. The officer documents driving impairment. 
  2. The DRE further documents specific controlled substance use and impairment. 
  3. The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) lab verifies the presence of controlled substances. 

There are over 30,000 DWI arrests in Minnesota each year. A significant number of those are due to drug impairment or are drug and alcohol related. 

There are currently over 125 DRE trained officers throughout Minnesota. 

Agency responsibilities 

Agencies participating in the DRE program must commit to having a: 

  • Strong desire toward traffic law enforcement 
  • Willingness to assist agencies/officers with DWI arrest and prosecution  

The DRE candidate must be: 

  • A licensed police officer 
  • Trained in Standardized Field Sobriety Testing (SFST) 
  • Active in DWI enforcement  

Training information 

DRE training consists of: 

  • Nine days of classroom training 
  • Hands-on certification training (approximately 16 days) 

Contact information

For further information, contact Sergeant Tyler Milless at 763-279-4005 or Tyler.Milless@State.mn.us.