This is an overview of emerging technologies that may improve consistency for law enforcement officers in field observation, documentation, and testimony associated with cases of driving under the influence of drugs (DUID) cases.
This report leverages interviews with law enforcement personnel, prosecutors, and product developers. It focuses on officers’ need for the consistent observation, assessment, and documentation of situations that involve individuals suspected of DUID. This report augments a related overview study of physical and cognitive screening products to assess impairment and screening products to determine the presence of drugs in oral fluid, breath, or sweat. Both documents collectively provide law enforcement agencies with emerging and currently available products and services that have potential applications for cases of drug-related impaired driving. The current report provides a higher-level, technology-based perspective that considers how law enforcement agencies might benefit from advances in hardware and software for DUID investigations. Such technological advances may lead to improved real-time communication and training. The information provided is categorized under technology advances, current products and services, potential future, and barriers to adoption. The focus in on the technologies that are driving digital transformation globally, i.e., computing, connectivity, and artificial intelligences (AI). The report notes, however, that although the opportunities for improving DUID investigations are significant and continually increasing as the broader global technology developments continue, there are barriers to adoption by the law enforcement community. This is because most of these digital products or services have not been developed or evaluated for law enforcement or DUID. There are needs for research, development, and evaluation of these new capabilities for law enforcement functions. 22 figures and 10 references