The Road Traffic (Amendment) Ordinance 2011 provides officers with the power to combat drug driving by requiring a driver suspected of having consumed drugs to undergo a preliminary drug test. As part of the efforts to enhance officers' professionalism in combating drug driving, Sergeant (SGT) Sit Ching-fung from Traffic Branch Headquarters attended an advanced training course in drug recognition in California, the USA in August. After going through a rigorous accreditation process, he was accredited as a Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) by the International Association of Chiefs of Police.

 

Said SGT Sit of the training course, "The course offered me a good opportunity to put my drug recognition training into practice during the DRE field certification examination. Though very demanding, the course is very useful and I am proud of being one of the five officers in the Force who have obtained this expert qualification".

 

Chief Superintendent (Traffic) Paul Stripp commented that the expert status of the accredited officers would further enhance the confidence of the public in the Force's capability to combat drug driving.  He thanked the California Highway Patrol for arranging the expert training for the Force.