• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About
  • The Magazine
  • Events
  • Partners
  • Products
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Jobs and Careers
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Subscribe to the Magazine
American Police Beat

American Police Beat Magazine

Law Enforcement Publication

  • Home
  • Editor’s Picks
    • The power of teamwork
      Stay awake and alert on the job
      The worst rank in law enforcement
      Firearms maintenance
      Why fries need salt
  • Topics
    • On the Job
      • Florida off-duty deputy rescues baby dolphin
        Good Samaritan praised for freeing officer from chokehold in struggle...
        “We’re told nothing”: Chicago police officers work to assist...
        Multigenerational family of police officers honored for their service...
        Portland police reinstate traffic enforcement unit, but advocates...
    • Labor
      • Southern California police agencies continue to face staffing...
        Phoenix City Council approves new police union contract with pay...
        Los Angeles County sheriff requests funding for recruitment, equipment
        “It’s a scary time for Cleveland”: City attracts smallest...
        Portland State University rearms campus police officers
    • Tech
      • California sheriff’s department pays $1.1 million to cyber...
        Bay Area businesses embrace AI surveillance protection amid crime...
        California family tracks down and recovers stolen e-bike using Apple...
        Indianapolis law enforcement team up with legislators to fight...
        Peeling the onion
    • Training
      • Understanding privacy coins
        Unlock your potential
        Crisis intervention team training
        What’s the best way to train law enforcement leaders?
        Ohio police officer and father of autistic son launches autism...
    • Policy
      • House passes bill to deport immigrants who assault law enforcement...
        Tennessee governor signs bill to fund school security months after...
        Washington state on brink of decriminalizing drug possession
        California AG launches investigation into Antioch police following...
        Back the Blue Act aims to enhance penalties for killing law...
    • Health/Wellness
      • Massachusetts police agencies receive grant to support mental health...
        Peacekeeper Initiative offers support and healing for retired police...
        Serenity in the saddle
        Worried about someone’s drinking?
        Thinking of pulling the pin on retirement?
    • Community
      • Washington nonprofit connects law enforcement and community through...
        A catastrophic threat
        A symbol of hope
        A legacy never forgotten
        High school students participate in job shadow day with New York...
    • Offbeat
      • Kansas burglary suspect uses ride-share app to escape while...
        A case of mistaken identity: Oklahoma police officers respond to...
        Kansas deputy pulls over man in Bud Light costume during DUI traffic...
        “Arrest them!”: Florida residents call 9-1-1 on two angry goats...
        Minnesota deputies detain escaped emu looking for love in all the...
    • We Remember
      • Honoring Fallen Heroes
        “Our hearts are broken once again”: Off-duty Chicago police...
        Choosing to serve
        A legacy of “service and sacrifice”: NYPD detective dies after...
        Philadelphia Phillies honor fallen Temple University police officer...
  • On the Job
    • Florida off-duty deputy rescues baby dolphin
      Good Samaritan praised for freeing officer from chokehold in struggle...
      “We’re told nothing”: Chicago police officers work to assist...
      Multigenerational family of police officers honored for their service...
      Portland police reinstate traffic enforcement unit, but advocates...
  • Labor
    • Southern California police agencies continue to face staffing...
      Phoenix City Council approves new police union contract with pay...
      Los Angeles County sheriff requests funding for recruitment, equipment
      “It’s a scary time for Cleveland”: City attracts smallest...
      Portland State University rearms campus police officers
  • Tech
    • California sheriff’s department pays $1.1 million to cyber...
      Bay Area businesses embrace AI surveillance protection amid crime...
      California family tracks down and recovers stolen e-bike using Apple...
      Indianapolis law enforcement team up with legislators to fight...
      Peeling the onion
  • Training
    • Understanding privacy coins
      Unlock your potential
      Crisis intervention team training
      What’s the best way to train law enforcement leaders?
      Ohio police officer and father of autistic son launches autism...
  • Policy
    • House passes bill to deport immigrants who assault law enforcement...
      Tennessee governor signs bill to fund school security months after...
      Washington state on brink of decriminalizing drug possession
      California AG launches investigation into Antioch police following...
      Back the Blue Act aims to enhance penalties for killing law...
  • Health/Wellness
    • Massachusetts police agencies receive grant to support mental health...
      Peacekeeper Initiative offers support and healing for retired police...
      Serenity in the saddle
      Worried about someone’s drinking?
      Thinking of pulling the pin on retirement?
  • Community
    • Washington nonprofit connects law enforcement and community through...
      A catastrophic threat
      A symbol of hope
      A legacy never forgotten
      High school students participate in job shadow day with New York...
  • Offbeat
    • Kansas burglary suspect uses ride-share app to escape while...
      A case of mistaken identity: Oklahoma police officers respond to...
      Kansas deputy pulls over man in Bud Light costume during DUI traffic...
      “Arrest them!”: Florida residents call 9-1-1 on two angry goats...
      Minnesota deputies detain escaped emu looking for love in all the...
  • We Remember
    • Honoring Fallen Heroes
      “Our hearts are broken once again”: Off-duty Chicago police...
      Choosing to serve
      A legacy of “service and sacrifice”: NYPD detective dies after...
      Philadelphia Phillies honor fallen Temple University police officer...
  • Between the Lines
    • The unspoken truth behind the recruitment and retention crisis
      The police reform goal: use of force without options
      The imprisonment of law enforcement technology
      Persecution of the LEO is classic schadenfreude
      The rule of law is worthless without order
  • About
  • The Magazine
  • Events
  • Partners
  • Products
  • Advertise
  • Contact
Search

On the Job

Maryland police host “pot party” to train officers’ field sobriety detection skills

APB Team Published October 4, 2022 @ 3:00 pm PDT

Dreamstime.com/Tyler Oneill

Maryland police recently hosted a “pot party” to train officer’s field sobriety detection skills and educate marijuana enthusiasts about the effects of the drug on driving impairment.

The Montgomery County Police held one of their “green labs,” where police officers have participants get high and then evaluate their sobriety level.

“Have some fun,” Montgomery County Police Lieutenant John O’Brien told the 10 participants, who brought joints, blunts, edibles, vape pens and a bong to the event.

The “green lab” event took place at the public-safety training academy in the county – a suburban area of Maryland.

Police set up a white tent for participants to smoke out and get high. After the first 30 minutes, participants were sent to classrooms to be evaluated and conduct a variety of field tests, including walking a straight line.

After another 30 minutes, they were asked to repeat the procedures.

29-year-old Tiara Artis, who has a state-issued medical marijuana card, was intrigued about the opportunity to smoke in the presence of police officers.

“Honestly, just for the opportunity to smoke in front of the cops without anything happening to me,” she said. “It’s a little strange, but I’m also used to doing strange things because I’m a strange person,” Artis admitted.

It was Montgomery County’s ninth green lab. Agencies in other areas, including Ohio and Seattle, have similar programs.

“It’s really important that our officers can be able to look at that person and say, OK, I think this is cannabis, and I think it’s affecting them to the point where they can’t operate a motor vehicle safely,” said Officer Jayme Derbyshire, who organizes Montgomery County’s green lab program.

The labs are important for helping officers determine a standard for what counts as marijuana impairment.

While it is illegal to drive while impaired by marijuana, officers are often not familiar with how to assess the degree of impairment under influence of the drug.

Officials hope that the program will give officers greater knowledge and experience to use on the roads.

There are also safeguards to keep things from getting out of hand. Participants are given transportation to and from home, and some have asked to go to bars after. The smoking also takes place outside according to laws prohibiting smoking from inside building.

Participants are paid $60 for their participation.

Officer Derbyshire said that one participant “went into complete shock” after seeing officers showing up to the event in their uniforms.”

 “She was in tears within seconds and went and locked herself in a bathroom stall. It took a few minutes to get her out,” he recalled.

In a classroom, a participant could barely walk in a straight line and had to hold her arms out to steady herself. She also had trouble focusing both eyes on a close-up object and her eyes fluttered, which Officer Kraig Webb noted was a sign of marijuana use.

“Never in a million years would I have imagined that we’d have a tent at the back of the police academy and people are back there smoking,” Webb said.

Some participants even drank alcohol during the event, since mixing marijuana and alcohol is a common practice

Officers were then able to assess the participants’ levels of impairment compared with marijuana use alone.

Categories: On the Job Tags: alcohol, impaired driving, field sobriety, pot party, green lab, training, drugs, marijuana, Maryland, Montgomery County Police Department

Primary Sidebar

Recent Articles

  • House passes bill to deport immigrants who assault law enforcement officers
  • Florida off-duty deputy rescues baby dolphin
  • Washington nonprofit connects law enforcement and community through acts of kindness
  • Good Samaritan praised for freeing officer from chokehold in struggle at New Jersey mall
  • “We’re told nothing”: Chicago police officers work to assist refugees amidst migrant crisis without help from city
  • Multigenerational family of police officers honored for their service by Denver Police Museum
  • Massachusetts police agencies receive grant to support mental health and stress management programs
  • Tennessee governor signs bill to fund school security months after deadly Nashville mass shooting
  • Southern California police agencies continue to face staffing shortages amid national reckoning on policing
  • Portland police reinstate traffic enforcement unit, but advocates continue push for more speed cameras

Footer

Our Mission
To serve as a trusted voice of the nation’s law enforcement community, providing informative, entertaining and inspiring content on interesting and engaging topics affecting peace officers today.

Contact us: info@apbweb.com | (800) 234-0056.

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram

Categories

  • Editor’s Picks
  • On the Job
  • Labor
  • Tech
  • Training
  • Policy
  • Health/Wellness
  • Community
  • Offbeat
  • We Remember
  • Jobs and Careers
  • Events

Editor’s Picks

The power of teamwork

The power of teamwork

July 23, 2021

Stay awake and alert on the job

Stay awake and alert on the job

July 20, 2021

The worst rank in law enforcement

The worst rank in law enforcement

July 19, 2021

Firearms maintenance

Firearms maintenance

July 04, 2021

Privacy Policy | Your Privacy Options | Notice at Collection | Copyright © 2023 APB Media, LLC | Website design, development and maintenance by 911MEDIA

Open

Subscribe

Close

Receive the latest news and updates from American Police Beat directly to your inbox!

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.