A program that had some police officers asking drivers to allow a swab of their mouth to determine if they've been using drugs is expected to be expanded to more parts of Michigan.
An initial one-year pilot program started in late 2017 in Berrien, Delta, Kent, St. Clair and Washtenaw counties. Police officers who are trained as drug recognition experts collected oral fluid if they suspected a driver is impaired by drugs. During the initial pilot program, it was used on 92 drivers.
Michigan State Police say the roadside test correlated well with lab and blood test results.
State police say a second pilot program including additional counties around Michigan is expected to start this fall. Law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, and the Drug Recognition Ecperts in those counties would need to agree to participate.
Anyone who refuses the swab test would receive a civil infraction.
MSP officials say they hope to take the program statewide, but any further expansion would depend on the results of the second pilot program.
