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Drug Recognition Experts Unit

In an effort to remove drug impaired drivers from the roadway the Bellevue Police Department uses Drug Recognition Experts as part of the Patrol Bureau. A Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) is a law enforcement officer trained to recognize impairment in drivers under the influence of drugs other than, or in addition to, alcohol.

The Bellevue Police Department currently has 9 certified DREs and three DRE Instructors.

The Drug Recognition Expert Program and procedures were initially developed in the 1970s by traffic enforcement officers of the Los Angeles Police Department. These procedure train selected officers to use a standardized twelve step evaluation process, that enables the officer to determine whether an individual is under the influence of drugs, and then to determine the type of drug causing the observable impairment. Importantly, the DRE procedure enables the DRE to rule in (or out) many medical conditions, such as illness or injury, that may be contributing to the impairment.

The primary focus of the DRE procedure is driving under the influence (DUI) enforcement.