As the heroin problem continues to increase, the Hamilton County Sheriff's Department is giving its deputies a refresher course on how to catch daytime drugged drivers.
According to Sgt. Mike Tarr, nighttime deputies are used to looking for drunken and drugged drivers, but those working the day shift are quickly getting up to speed. "What we're really trying to do is work with the day shift guys and really everybody and just make sure they realize this is something they are going to encounter that they need to be as up to date as they can."
In September,as reported by WVXU, the sheriff's department began keeping track of drugged drivers. Preliminary numbers show about 30 percent of those stopped are under the influence of drugs. Of 60 OVIs in the last two months:
- 43 were alcohol related.
- 16 were drug related.
- 2 were both.
In the spring Tarr will look at the numbers again to determine if the stops are occurring in certain areas and at certain times.