When the Illinois Department of Transportation's Bureau of Safety Programs and Engineering received GHSA and the Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility's 2016 drugged driving grant, they planned to use the money to conduct 10 ARIDE classes in the state. However, by the end of the year, the Bureau was able to train a full extra class, significantly increasing the number of Drug Recognition Experts (DREs) trained throughout the state.
As of April 2016, there were 441 local Illinois law enforcement officers trained in ARIDE -- Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement. Through the 11 classes funded by the grant, an additional 207 officers were trained by the end of the year.
The courses were conducted through the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board (ILETSB) and its Mobile Team Units (MTUs) and were received very positively by local sheriffs and police departments. Each class trained between 15 and 25 officers, who were taught by DRE instructors using certified ARIDE curriculum.
This grant provided Illinois with a 45% increase in ARIDE-trained local law enforcement officers, as well as a 24% increase in the total number of Illinois law enforcement officers trained in ARIDE.
For more information, contact Shannon Alderman, Illinois DOT's Impaired Driving Program Coordinator, at shannon.alderman@illinois.gov.