The International Drug Evaluation & Classification Program
The Drug Evaluation and Classification Program is recognized by all fifty states in the U.S., Canada, and the United Kingdom.
About the DECP
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) originated the program in the early 1970s when LAPD officers noticed that many of the individuals arrested for driving under the influence (DUI) had very low or zero alcohol concentrations. The officers reasonably suspected that the arrestees were under the influence of drugs, but lacked the knowledge and skills to support their suspicions. In response, two LAPD sergeants collaborated with various medical doctors, research psychologists and other medical professionals to develop a simple, standardized procedure for recognizing drug influence and impairment. Their efforts culminated in the development of a multi-step protocol and the first drug recognition expert (DRE) program. The LAPD formally recognized the Drug Recognition Expert program in 1979. It was later renamed the Drug Evaluation and Classification Program (DECP).
Drug Recognition Expert Section (DRE)
The Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) Section provides a unique opportunity for those professionals associated with drug recognition to share common management, training, administrative and practicing...
IACP Impaired Driving and Traffic Safety (IDTS) Conference
This conference provides certified drug recognition experts, traffic safety professionals, prosecutors, and others with a forum in which to share information, countermeasures, and best practices...
Find a State Coordinator
 | Contact information for each state DEC Program coordinator can be found by selecting the state below. |
Alabama
Corporal Paul Thompson
Alabama State Police
1005 Charles Byrd Blvd
Selma, AL 36703
Phone: (334) 334-865--688
Email: Paul Thompson
Alaska
Lieutenant Daron Cooper
Alaska State Troopers
5700 East Tudor Road
Anchorage, AK 99507
Telephone: (907) 301-4567
Email: Daron Cooper
Arizona
Officer George Chwe
Mesa Police Department
Arizona Governor’s Office of Highway Safety
PO Box 1466
Mesa, AZ 85211
Phone: (480) 644-2100 ext 18171
Email: gchwe@azgohs.gov
Also visit the Arizona Governor's Office of Highway Safety
Arkansas
Harold Edmonson
Criminal Justice Institute
University of Arkansas
26 Corporate Hill Drive
Little Rock, AR 72205
Phone: (501) 658-6037
E-mail: hgedmonson@cji.edu
California
Sergeant Gary Martens
California Highway Patrol
601 N 7th Street, Sacramento, CA 95811
Phone: (916) 843-4370
Email: Sergeant Gary Martens
Colorado
Mark Ashby
2829 W. Howard Place, 5th Floor
Denver, CO 80204
Phone: (303)503-4704
E-mail: Mark Ashby
More information is available at the Colorado Department of Transportation.
Connecticut
Robert Klin
CT DOT Highway Safety Office
PO Box 31756
Newington, CT 06131-7546
Phone:(860) 594-2386
Fax:(860) 594-2374
District of Columbia
Melissa Shear
2000 14th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20009
Phone: (771)233-5294
E-mail: Melissa Shear
Florida
Tim Cornelius
Institute of Police Technology and Management
University of Florida
12000 Alumni Drive
Jacksonville, FL 32224-2645
Phone: (904) 620-3211
E-mail: Tim Cornelius
More information can be found at the Institute of Police Technology and Management.
Georgia
Michael Blute
Georgia Police Academy GPSTC
1000 Indian Springs Drive
Forsyth, GA 31029
Phone: (678) 357-8567
E-mail: Michael Blute
Hawaii
Karen Kahikina
Hawaii Department of Transportation
98-339 Ponohana Place
Alea, HI 96701
Phone:(808) 587-2355
Fax:(808) 587-6303
E-mail: Karen Kahikina
Idaho
Sergeant Chris Glenn
Statewide Impaired Driving Coordinator
Idaho State Police
700 South Stratford
Meridian, ID 83680-0700
Phone: (208) 884-7212
Fax: (208) 884-7092
Cell: (208) 559-4130
E-mail: Sergeant Chris Glenn
Illinois
Mike Pappas
Illinois Highway Safety Office
101 Hawthorn Estates
Salem, IL 62881
Cell: (618) 218-3736
E-mail: Mike Pappas
Indiana
Marshall Depew
Indiana Criminal Justice Institute
101 W Washington Street East Tower Suite 1170
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Phone: (317) 608-8826
E-mail: Marshall Depew
Iowa
Todd Olmstead
Iowa Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau
215 East 7th Street, 3rd Floor
Des Moines, Iowa 50319
PHONE: (515)393-8659
Email: Todd Olmstead
More information is available from the Iowa Department of Public Safety.
Kansas
Lt. Matthew Payne
Kansas Highway Patrol
2025 E. Iron Ave
Salina, KS 67401
Phone: (913) 787-1422
E-mail: Matthew Payne
Kentucky
Rob Warfel
Kentucky Office of Highway Safety
200 Mero Street, 4th Floor
Frankfort, KY 40601
Phone: (502) 545-6120
E-mail: Rob Warfel
Louisiana
Master Trooper Jared David
Louisiana State Police
7901 Independence Blvd.
Baton Rouge, LA 70806
Phone: (225) 925-3710
E-mail: Jared David
Maine
Don Finnegan
Maine Criminal Justice Academy
15 Oak Grove Road
Vassalboro, ME 04989
Phone: (207) 877-8014
Fax: (207) 877-8027
E-mail: Don Finnegan
Maryland
Sgt Wayne Koch
Maryland State Police
1201 Reisterstown Rd.
Pikesville, MD 21208
Phone: (410) 653-4319
Email: wayne.koch@maryland.gov
Massachusetts
Peter Buck
Massachusetts Municipal Training Committee
42 Thomas Patten Dr
Randolph, MA 02368
Phone: (978)257-1407
E-mail: peter.j.buck@mass.gov
More information is available at the Massachusetts DRE website.
Michigan
James "Jim" Janes
Michigan State Police
7426 North Canal Road
Lansing, MI 48909
Phone: (269) 921-5666
Email: Jim Janes
Minnesota
Sergeant Tyler Milless
Minnesota State Patrol
2055 N Lilac Drive
Dimondale, MN 48921
Email: Tyler Milless
More information is available at the Department of Public Safety's DRE Page.
Mississippi
Officer Rob Banks
Oxford Police Department
715 Molly Barr Road
Oxford, MS 38688
Phone: (662) 232-2400
Email: Ofc. Rob Banks
Missouri
Robert Paul
Missouri Safety Center
UCM Humphreys Building Suite 200
Warrensburg, MO 64093
Office: (660) 543-4524
E-mail: Robert Paul
More information is available at the Missouri Safety Center's DRE page.
Montana
Sergeant Ryan Janes
Montana Highway Patrol
18 Trooper Dr
Boulder, MT 59632
Phone: (406) 210-2241
E-mail: Ryan Janes
Nebraska
Dustin Stewart
Nebraska Highway Safety Office
5001 South 14th Street
Lincoln, NE 68512
Phone: (402) 471-3880
E-mail: Dustin Stewart
Nevada
Rob Honea, Law Enforcement Liaison
Nevada Department of Public Safety
Office of Traffic Safety
4615 West Sunset Road
Las Vegas, NV 89118
Phone: (702) 432-5031
E-mail: Rob Honea
New Hampshire
David Martinelli
NH Office of Highway Safety
33 Hazen Dr
Concord, NH 03301
Phone: (603) 395-6455
David Martinelli
New Jersey
Sergeant Dave Napolitano
NJ State Police Technology Campus
1200 Negron Drive Suite #400
Hamilton, NJ 08619
Phone:(609) 203-8361
Email: Dave Napolitano
New Mexico
Tim McCarson
1005 Morina Ct NE
Albuquerque, NM 87112
Work: (505) 514-2615
E-mail: Tim McCarson
New York
Renée Borden
New York State Department of Motor Vehicles
6 Empire State Plaza, Room 410B
Albany, NY 12228
Phone: (518)486-6718
E-mail: Renee Borden
For more information, please contact:
Renee Borden
(518)486-6718
More information is available at the New York DRE website.
North Carolina
Kenny Benfield
Forensic Tests for Alcohol
1922 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, N.C. 27699-1922
Phone: (919) 707-5250
Fax: (919) 870-4814
Email: Kenny Benfield
North Dakota
Trooper Tarek Chase
North Dakota Highway Patrol
601 Channel Drive
Bismark, ND 58501
Phone: (701) 220-6671
E-Mail: Trooper Tarek Chase
Ohio
Sergeant Sam Criswell
Ohio State Highway Patrol
1970 W. Broad Street
Columbus, OH 43223
Phone: (614) 312-7481
Email: Sam Criswell
Oklahoma
Sergeant Nickolas O'Bryant
Oklahoma City Police Department
700 Colcord
Oklahoma City, OK 730102
Phone: (405) 850-8941
Email: Sgt Nickolas O'Bryant
Oregon
Ryan Clarke
Oregon State Police
3565 Trelstad Ave, SE
Salem, OR 97317
Phone: (541) 709-1675
Email: Ryan Clarke
Pennsylvania
Dave Andrascik
Pennsylvania DUI Association
2413 North Front Street
Harrisburg, PA 17110
Phone: (717) 238-4354
Email: David Andrascik
Rhode Island
Rick Sullivan
Law Enforcement Highway Safety Training Coordinator
1762 Louisquisset Pike
Lincoln, Rhode Island 02865
Phone:(401) 722-5808
Email: Rick Sullivan
South Carolina
Jack Johnson
South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy
540 Broad River Road
Columbia, SC 29212
Phone: (803) 896-7926
Email: Jack Johnson
South Dakota
Sergeant Isaac Kurtz
South Dakota Highway Patrol
1041 N. Lincoln Ave
Madison, SD 57042
Phone: (605) 480-3361
Email: Sergeant Isaac Kurtz
Tennessee
Tony Burnett
300 Murfreesboro Rd
Woodbury, TN 37190
Phone: (615) 559-7849
E-mail: Tony Burnett
Texas
Carlos Champion
TMPA
6300 La Calma Dr Suite 450
Austin, TX, 78752
Phone: (956) 289-6543
E-mail: Carlos Champion
Utah
Sergeant Jared Cornia
State DEC Coordinator
UT Highway Patrol/Training
410 West 9800 South
Sandy, UT 84070
Phone: (801) 783-6671
Email: Jared Cornia
Vermont
John Flannigan
Criminal Justice Training Council
6 Rustic Drive
Essex Jct., VT 05452
Phone: 802-999-7685
Email: John Flannigan
More information is available at the Vermont Governor's Highway Safety Program's DRE Website.
Virginia
Matthew A. Okes
Virginia State Police
7700 Midlothian Tpk
Richmond, VA 23235
Phone: 804-674-2255
Email: Matthew Okes
Washington
Sgt. Anthony Califano
Washington State Patrol
811 E Roanoke St
Seattle, WA 98102
Phone (425) 626-0204
E-mail: Anthony Califano
West Virginia
Officer Joey Koher
Huntington Police Department
675 10th Street
Huntington, WV 25701
Phone: (859)200-0229
Email: Joey Koher
Wisconsin
Steve Krejci
Milwaukee Police Department
10300 W. Juniper Street
Milwaukee, WI 53224
Phone: (414) 550-0979
Email: Steve Krejci
Wyoming
Lt. Evan Storch
Laramie County Sheriff's Office
1910 Pioneer Ave
Cheyenne, WY 82001
Phone:(307) 640-9054
Email: Evan Storch
Canada
Cpl. David Botham
RCMP National Traffic Services
73 Leiken Drive, M3-3, Mailstop #8
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1A OR2
Phone 613-843-4804
Email: Ptl. David Botham
RESOURCES FOR STATE COORDINATORS
State DEC Program Coordinators can access secure resources for the proper administration of their impaired driving enforcement programs.This site is password protected and is restricted for state coordinators only.
WHAT’S NEW
2024 Drugs and Human Performance Fact Sheets
The newly published Drugs and Human Performance Fact Sheets are now available.
2023 DECP Annual Report
The 2023 DECP Annual Report is now available! The report contains information specific to each U.S. state and Canada's accomplishments in 2023.
Marijuana and Driving
Inside Edition recently aired a segment on cannabis impaired drivers, driving while or after smoking marijuana, and shed a positive light on the DRE program: How Dangerous Is It to Drive While High?
MADD Impaired Driving Toolkit
The MADD Impaired Driving Toolkit: A Law Enforcement Leader's Guide to Saving Lives is now available.
DRE Marketing & Recruiting Toolkit is now available!
This newly released toolkit has many resources for new DREs and agencies interested in establishing a DRE program as well as for those who have a longstanding in the DEC program. Resources include DRE leading practices, building DRE area partnerships, a model DRE policy, funding options for DEC programs, benefits of having a DRE as well as additional resources to starting and maintaining a DRE program at your agency. Additional information can be found under the DRE Marketing and Recruiting Toolkit tab.
Drug Use in Fatal Collisions 2000-2020
This new report from the Traffic Injury Research Foundation was released in August 2023 and examines the magnitude and trends regarding the role of drugs in motor vehicle fatalities in Canada during this 21-year period.
Nystagmus Among Suspected Amphetamine Impaired Drivers
The Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine published a study from 507 amphetamine positive DUID cases and compared them to 485 alcohol only cases, where HGN was conducted. The study supports nystagmus is not a reliable indicator of amphetamine, supporting the ARIDE and DRE training.
NHTSA Announces the Launch of a New Training Class: Expert Insights: Testifying in Court as a Drug Recognition Expert
This course is designed to provide current DREs additional training related to testifying in court and provide them with resources to be better prepared and more confident when testifying at criminal trials, motion hearings, pre-trial conferences and other related hearings. The NHTSA course is offered through the COPS LMS and can be found here: The Office of Community Policing (COPS)
NTSB 2022 Study on Alcohol, Drugs, Impaired Driving and Crash Risk
In a recent study published by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), researchers looked at the prevalence of multiple drugs and drug categories associated with impaired driving performance and increased crash risk. NTSB surmises that drug data in national-level databases can be difficult to estimate drug prevalence among drivers. Their study found that between 71% and 99% of drivers in the five populations studied tested positive for one or more potentially impairing drugs, and about half of the drivers tested positive for more than one category of drug. Alcohol and cannabis were the two most commonly detected drugs across all populations studied.
The DEA releases the 2022 Edition of DRUGS of ABUSE: A DEA Resource Guide
This is a comprehensive guide of the most commonly abused and misused drugs in the United States. It includes information about the harms and consequences of drug use including a drug's effects on the body and other key facts.
Driving Performance and Cannabis Users' Perception of Safety Clinical Trial
This January 2022 JAMA report consisted of a double blind, placebo controlled clinical trial assessing key driver simulator variables prior to smoking and at multiple points post smoking. Some key results identified driving decrements after smoked marijuana and consistent findings regarding impairment duration times taught in the DEC Program training.
Study results of Utah's .05% BAC Per Se Law
NHTSA conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the impacts of Utah lowering its per se law from .08 to .05% bac. A synopsis of the study can be found here.
Simultaneous Alcohol/Cannabis Use and Driving Under the Influence
This national study found that more than 40% of drivers using alcohol and cannabis reported driving under the influence of one or both substances.
Effects of High-Potency Cannabis on Psychomotor Performance in Frequent Cannabis Users
Recently increased access to cannabis products in the United States has been associated with increased rates of driving after cannabis use. This study examined the psychomotor impairment-related effects experienced by frequent cannabis users in Colorado after naturalistic consumption of smoked cannabis.
The Failings of Per Se Limits to Detect Cannabis-Induced Driving Impairment: Results From a Simulated Driving Study
Research continues to support that per se limits are not reliable or consistent indicators of impairment levels in cannabis DUI cases.
The Cannabis Report: America's Perception on Consumption and Road Risk
This survey reports American's behaviors and attitudes toward marijuana use, impairment, and driving.
Cannabis Use Among Drivers in Fatal Crashes in Washington State Before and After Legalization
This AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety Research Brief reported the proportion of fatal-crash-involved drivers in Washington who are THC-positive has doubled since marijuana legalization.
2023 DECP ANNUAL REPORT
The 2023 Annual Report contains information specific to each U.S. state's program and a summary of Canada's accomplishments in the calendar year.
Previous Years
DRE Marketing & Recruiting Tool Kit
This toolkit has many resources for new DREs and agencies interested in establishing a DRE program as well as for those who have a longstanding within the DEC Program. Resources include why your agency should have a DRE and benefits they can provide, leading practices for identifying DRE candidates within an agency, building DRE area partnerships, a model DRE policy, funding options for DEC programs, some high-level court decisions supportive of DREs as experts as well as additional resources for starting and maintaining a DRE program.
Drug Recognition Experts (DREs)
Regional Coordinators
Program Oversight
State Coordinators
IACP State DRE Websites
Drugged Driving Research
DRE Instructors
DRE Training
DREs as Community Resources
Medical Impairment
Additional DRE Resources
DRE FAQs
CONTACT US
If you have questions regarding the Drug Evaluation and Classification (DEC) Program, the Drug Impairment Training for Educational Professionals (DITEP), or other impaired driving training, please contact us at:
Jim Maisano
Project Manager - National
P.O. Box 721662
Norman, OK 73072
Telephone: 703-647-7257
Joe Abrusci
Project Manager - Eastern Region
P.O. Box 438
Flanders, NJ 07836
Telephone: 703-647-7258
Jim Maisano
Project Manager - Central Region
P.O. Box 721662
Norman, OK 73072
Telephone: 703-647-7257
Robert Hayes
Project Manager- Western Region
44 Canal Center Plaza, Suite 200
Alexandria, VA 22314-2357
Telephone: 703-647-7374
Nuyiri Kasbarian
Project Coordinator
44 Canal Center Plaza, Suite 200
Alexandria, VA 22314-2357
Phone: 703-647-7219
Christine Frank
Highway Safety Specialist, NHTSA
Enforcement & Justice Services
NTI-122 / W44-231 1200
New Jersey Ave. S.E. Washington, DC 20590
Telephone: 202-366-0543
