Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office Hosts DUI Training Symposium

By Sgt. Matt Caudill, Motor Carrier Services Enforcement Bureau, Montana Department of Transportation

Together with the Yellowstone County Driving Under the Influence (DUI) Task Force, the Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office hosted the first Big Sky Drug & Alcohol Symposium, May 20-21.

The conference, the first of its kind for Yellowstone County, brought together individuals from all levels of law enforcement, courts, corrections, probation/parole and rehabilitation to learn about different aspects of impaired driving impacting the area. The task force also invited people from all levels of the substance-abuse spectrum—from recovering addicts to treatment specialists— allowing for networking and learning how other organizations address these issues. The symposium included a strong lineup of presenters, all with a wealth of information and insight.

The first day consisted of several excellent speakers. The first was Jermaine “Tall Cop” Galloway, who provided a wide range of information on drug culture, from clothes with hidden stash compartments to legal chemicals that hide the effect of some drugs, along with local examples of where such products could be purchased. This information was eye opening for the attendees.

The second part of the day started with Ben Cort, whose presentation was a view into the recovery process for those struggling with addiction. Cort’s journey helped him become a big part of the recovery movement and he illustrated the many facets of that process.

The first day concluded with Judge Mary Jane Knisely, who discussed the Yellowstone County Veterans Treatment Court (known as Courts Assisting Military Offenders or CAMO). As explained on the court’s website, it favors “case management, drug treatment and accountability” over incarceration for Billingsarea veterans who have entered the criminal justice system due to struggles with mental health or chemical dependency.

The second day featured two researchers – Dr. Jason Kilmer and Dr. Karl Citek. Dr. Kilmer laid out his studies of college students and cannabis, pointing out the lack of research into the effects of high THC content use over long periods of time. With legalization happening across the country, this is a topic that often comes up when developing legislation. Optometrist Dr. Citek talked about the role of eye testing in field sobriety testing and identifying possible drug use.

Next, Stacy Brittain, of the Drug Enforcement Agency, spoke about the difficulties facing drug enforcement across Montana.

All in all, both days provided a huge amount of information and connections that would not typically be provided to the individuals who attended the symposium.

One presentation highlighted a Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office initiative which recognizes civilians who report drunk drivers. If the report leads to a DUI charge, a commander from the sheriff’s office will present the caller with a challenge coin. I was not aware that this unique approach was going on in my county. It is a new and interesting way to connect with the community when it comes to DUI enforcement. By getting buy-in from the community and acknowledging their part in the fight against impaired driving, law enforcement creates a better relationship between themselves and the general public.

Lt. Robert Lester, of the Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office, ended the training with a presentation discussing his passion for DUI enforcement. He discussed the reasons he felt it was so important to provide top-level training on impaired driver enforcement.

This conference was fantastic, not just for members of the alcohol and substance abuse treatment, prevention and enforcement communities, but also the community as a whole. Better trained officers will be more proactive and able to find those endangering our community by driving under the influence, before they can do harm. n