By Charlie Bermant
Peninsula Daily News
PORT TOWNSEND — Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol in Port Townsend is a particularly dangerous gamble, especially considering the presence of Police Officer Luke Bogues, newly certified as a drug recognition expert.
“In a lot of murder cases, there were decisions made by the victims that led to their involvement, but a DUI is the only crime where everyone is walking around with a target on their back,” Bogues said.
“Catching DUIs is the one instance where I can do something proactive to keep the community safe.”
Bogues has always had a “passion” for preventing DUIs but said this kicked up a notch with his certification in October as a drug recognition expert, or DRE.
This is an elite group of law enforcement professionals who are trained to recognize what drivers have taken in order to quantify their level of impairment.
Bogues is one of four DREs on the North Olympic Peninsula.
Others are Jefferson County Sheriff’s Deputy Brandon Przygocki and Sgt. Andy Pernsteiner, and Clallam County Sheriff’s Deputy Mike Backes.
“We have a unique situation in East Jefferson County with three DREs, which means we have one for every . . . 10,000 residents,” Bogues said.
The three-week intensive training Bogues took in Vancouver, Wash., this fall isn’t for everyone, he said, since participants must have an interest and an aptitude for the minutiae of DUI enforcement.
Bogues, who turns 32 on Monday, joined the Port Townsend Police Department in 2006 and is the department’s public information officer.
Previous to his employment with police, he worked as a reporter and computer specialist for the Peninsula Daily News.
So Bogues knows a lot of people.
But even a close connection with Bogues won’t help a person who is driving impaired.
He said he has arrested two people who are his Facebook friends.
“If I catch you speeding, I might give you a verbal warning. We can have a laugh about it, and I’ll let you go on your way if it isn’t too egregious,” Bogues said.
“But if I catch you driving drunk, I will arrest you.
“I would arrest my own mother for DUI.”
Bogues learned to recognize and identify seven drug categories and their potential to impair drivers, and can spot the symptoms of impairment through visual and physical cues.
Bogues said he will share information with other officers in his department. He and other DREs are regional resources and travel to other counties to identify impairment cases.
His opinion as a DRE is admissible as evidence in court, more so than the observations of an officer who has not been through the training, he said.
Bogues said he also will provide support for school resource officers so they can help school employees recognize signs of drug abuse.
In light of the recent legalization of marijuana for adults, Bogues acknowledged that small amounts of pot — or any drug — may be safe but suggested that the rule for safe driving under marijuana’s influence should be the same as with alcohol: If you are going to partake, you should not get behind the wheel.
“People have told me that they are better drivers while using pot and they are more focused,” Bogues said.
“But you are less able to divide your attention. You may be able to turn on your cruise control and stay between the lines, but you may have trouble paying attention and develop tunnel vision.”
Bogues said doses of cannabis that cause impairment are harder to judge than with liquor, where dosages can be monitored.
With marijuana, especially with edibles, the amount of THC — the main mind-altering ingredient found in the cannabis plant — is never consistent “and depends on whose basement they made it in,” Bogues said.
The response is also different.
The standard sobriety test is to walk nine steps in a straight line, turn around and walk nine more.
In one instance, a driver was able to walk the nine steps and turned around but forgot what he was supposed to do next, Bogues said.
“Even if they can walk in a straight line, you don’t want someone who forgets what they should do next behind the wheel of a 2-ton vehicle,” Bogues said.
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Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
