We are pleased to announce that lawyers Vicki Koutsogiannis and James R. Snell, Jr., have recently completed a course of training based on the Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE) curriculum.
This curriculum is designed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. It is being given to law enforcement officers throughout the country who are involved in the investigation and prosecution of suspected impaired drivers.
The course instructors were Anthony D. Palacios of IDS Consulting in Alpharetta, Georgia and Thomas Ham. The training took place over two days on January 27th and 28th.
The number of ARIDE trained officers is steadily growing in South Carolina. This type of training is how our lawyers ensure that they remain current with the latest techniques. This is especially true now that police are actively on the looking for non-alcohol DUI cases, including situations were they are making arrests simply because someone admits to taking prescription medication or at some point in the past smoked marijuana.
The ARIDE curriculum builds on the initial DUI Detection & Field Sobriety Testing curriculum, also by the National Traffic Safety Administration. Both attorney Vicki Koutsogiannis and James R. Snell, Jr., completed that course with instructor Tony Corroto.
The ARIDE curriculum includes a refresher on the proper administration of the standardized field sobriety tests pursuant to the 2015 student participant guide. These tests include the horizontal gaze nystagmus tests, walk and turn, and one leg stand.
The course then is based around a matrix designed to help officers determine whether or not an individual is impaired by alcohol, or another substance. This includes a review of all major drug categories including depressants, stimulants, hallucinogens, dissociative anesthetics, narcotic analgesics, inhalants, and cannabis. In addition the standard standard field sobriety tests are also supplemented with two additional tests: the lack of convergence and the Romberg balance test.
At the end of the two day training our lawyers took the exact same written test given to law enforcement officers. A passing score is required in order to earn a certificate of completion. The test is closed book, timed, and given under supervision of the instructors. Both of our lawyers passed the test, earning their certificates.