Calvert County Sheriff’s Office hosted a two-day training session, which focused on enhancing techniques for identifying impaired drivers. Sixteen officers from the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office, the Charles County Sheriff’s Office, and the Maryland State Police participated in the training held on April 4th and 5th.
The training included two courses: Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE) and a course on the effects of Cannabis on the human body. The ARIDE course provided refresher training on using Standardized Field Sobriety Tests and information on identifying persons driving under the influence of drugs. The course also helped participants better understand the effects of drugs on a person’s ability to operate a vehicle safely and how to identify the signs and symptoms caused by many different prescription and illicit drugs.
The second course was focused on Cannabis usage and its effects on the human body. Officers gained a more in-depth understanding of the effects of Cannabis on a person’s ability to operate a motor vehicle and the ability to recognize the difference between the signs of legal Cannabis use and the signs of impairment. The course was hosted in conjunction with the Chesapeake Region Safety Council.
Instructors for the courses were provided by Charles County Sheriff’s Office and the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office. Sgt. Brooks, Sgt. McCue, Sgt. Robshaw, Sgt. Kreps, and Cpl. Shrawder led the training.
Calvert County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the Chesapeake Regional Safety Council for funding this training, Chick-fil-A for providing lunch for the students, instructors, and participants, and the Prince Frederick Volunteer Rescue Squad for providing the venue.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) ARIDE course is crucial to enhancing road safety in the United States. According to the NHTSA, approximately one-third of all traffic fatalities in the US involve alcohol-impaired drivers. The ARIDE course equips law enforcement officers with the skills and knowledge to effectively detect and apprehend impaired drivers.
The Calvert County Sheriff’s Office is committed to providing advanced training opportunities for officers to enhance their skills and provide better services to the community. By hosting training sessions like ARIDE, law enforcement officers can develop skills to identify impaired drivers effectively and ensure that roads are safer for all users.
Sheriff Mike Evans thanked all the officers who participated in the training and congratulated them for successfully completing the ARIDE course. He further added, “The ARIDE course equips our officers with the necessary tools to identify impaired drivers, which in turn helps us keep our roads safe.”
The Calvert County Sheriff’s Office has been hosting advanced DUI training sessions for several years now. The department believes that regular training and development opportunities are essential for enhancing officer skills and providing better services to the community.
The success of the ARIDE training is yet another example of the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office’s commitment to enhancing officer skills and improving public safety on the roads.