Winder Officer One of 160 in State Certified as Drug Recognition Expert

Of the almost 59,000 law enforcement officers in the state of Georgia, only 160 are certified as drug recognition experts. One of those law enforcement officers is employed right here in Barrow County.

Officer Chris Wigner with the Winder Police Department recently completed a 240-hour training course over several months comprised of nine days of classroom training covering proper drug evaluation techniques, drug physiology, drug classifications, symptoms of drug use and abuse and legal considerations. The classroom portion was followed up with hands-on training. Wigner serves as the department's HEAT — or Highway Enforcement of Aggressive Traffic — officer.

“Having this certification is another resource that the Winder Police Department can use to keep the roads in our community safe by removing both alcohol and drug impaired motorists,” Chief Dennis Dorsey said in the release.

Before earning the certifications, Wigner had to complete 12 field evaluations requiring him to examine drug impaired individuals and correctly identify the under which the individuals were under the influence.

According to a news release issued by the Winder Police Department, the DRE certification is the highest form of impaired driver detection.