15 officers complete Drug Recognition Expert School

LANSING — 15 law enforcement officers from across Michigan have completed training and are now certified as Drug Recognition Experts (DRE) focused on combating drug-impaired driving. The Michigan State Police (MSP) Organizational Development Division hosted the 17th Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) School, which concluded Saturday, March 28, 2026.

Originally developed by the Los Angeles Police Department in the 1970s, the DRE program was created to address impaired drivers under the influence of drugs rather than alcohol. Today, it operates in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Canada and several countries worldwide. Michigan adopted the program in 2009 and held its first DRE school in 2011.

DRE certification requires the successful completion of three phases of training including 72 hours of hands-on and classroom instruction where students learn to measure vital signs, evaluate pupil size under various lighting conditions and conduct standardized impairment assessments. The final phase involves performing supervised evaluations and a comprehensive certification exam.

DRE schools are made possible through funding from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), with instruction provided by experienced law enforcement professionals, prosecutors and subject matter experts from across Michigan.

This class represents agencies across the state, including:

With the addition of these 15 new DREs, there are now 142 statewide.

LANSING — 15 law enforcement officers from across Michigan have completed training and are now certified as Drug ...