More guards being trained to test for drug driving

Gardaí in this area are currently receiving training in the use of devices aimed at detecting drug driving, members of the Westmeath Joint Policing Committee have been informed.

“There is a roadside breath test we can do now,” Chief Superintendent Peter Duff told committee members at their meeting at the Westmeath County Council chambers in Mullingar on Monday of last week.

“It’s a bit more complicated than the roadside breath test for alcohol – it takes a few minutes rather than a few seconds,” he said, adding that there is a roll-out of training going on around the country.

Chief Supt Duff said that the machine used for the testing is around the size of a coffee machine. “It’s a big piece of kit and the test takes about five minutes, compared to 15 seconds for drink driving,” he said.

Chief Supt Duff revealed there were 202 arrests during 2017 for suspected drink driving – 13 more than in 2016.

“That’s an area we’re going to continue to focus on, because one person drink driving on the road is one too many,” he said.

He added that he had “no doubt” but that if the number of people driving after drinking was reduced, it would lead to a commensurate reduction in the number of accidents resulting in serious injury or death.

Cllr Sorca Clarke enquired about whether people using drugs such as Solpadeine might wind up with a positive result if tested for drug driving.

Chief Supt Duff undertook to obtain this information for Cllr Clarke and have it for the next meeting.

Drugs at concerts

Meanwhile, a hike of almost 200 in the number of drug possession cases detected in Westmeath in 2017 occurred largely due to attendances at concerts held locally, Chief Supt Duff stated.

There were 699 cases of simple possession (possession for personal use) recorded in Westmeath in 2016 – but last year saw 891 such detections.

“If you bring a large number of people into a concert area, you will, obviously, get drug detection,” Chief Supt Duff stated.

Cases of possession of drugs for sale or supply dropped from 99 cases to 89, and there was a fall from 13 to eight in cases of cultivation.