NICHOLAS COUNTY, WV (WOAY) – The Nicholas County Sheriff’s Department recently sent Sgt. M. Z. Deitz for training to become a (DRE) Drug Recognition Expect within the County. The intense course trains officers to conduct medical evaluations detecting individuals under the influence of drugs.
The Nicholas County Sheriff’s Department and Sgt. Deitz completed an application process for the course in order to be accepted for the training. The process consisted of prior work history and performance by Sgt. Deitz and letters of support from the Sheriff and Nicholas County Prosecutor Jonathon Sweeney. Once accepted into the course it consisted of 4 weeks of training at different locations.
Sgt. Deitz traveled initially during March 2018 to Huntington for two weeks of training. Once successfully passing the exam in Huntington, Sgt. Deitz then traveled to Phoenix, AZ in April for one week to complete the DRE training course and finally traveling to Glad Springs for the final part of the training.
The intoxication of drugs has become a serious problem with individuals operating motor vehicles impaired causing many traffic accidents. With the expert (DRE) training Sgt. Deitz will be able to observe an individual and make a determination of impairment involving drugs. The Nicholas County Sheriff Department will continue to aggressively attack the drug epidemic in our communities by all means necessary.
