One of the many ways that the Colorado State Patrol works to provide a safe and secure environment is through DUI enforcement. There are a number or reasons that DUI enforcement is a top priority for Colorado State Troopers. The first is that crashes involving alcohol or drugs have twice the number of injuries and deaths than crashes where alcohol or drugs was not involved. Also crashes that involve alcohol and drugs are usually much more severe than other types of crashes. It is for these reasons that DUI enforcement is a priority for the entire Colorado State Patrol.
A trooper's DUI enforcement starts during their Academy basic training. Colorado State Patrol cadets receive 24 hours of training specifically related to the identification and arrest procedures related to impaired drivers. The 24-hour DUI class includes the following topics:
- The Expressed Consent Law
- Elements of DUI as contained in Colorado Revised Statutes
- Initial observation and recognition of typical vehicle maneuvers and human indicators that are symptomatic of DUI
- Recognition of typical clues of alcohol and drug influence during face-to-face contact with DUI subjects
- Administration and interpretation of divided attention psychophysical tests for pre-arrest screening
- Writing clear and descriptive DUI arrest reports
In addition, other training courses at the Academy directly relate to DUI enforcement. Some of these classes include: Constitutional Law, Arrest, Search and Seizure, Colorado Traffic Code and Traffic Stops.