Experts

• Author: Nathan Baker
• Pages: 65-77

CHAPTER

6

Experts

There

are

a

plethora

of

experts

to

consult

in

a

case

involving

impairment

by

drug.

Cost

and

expertise

are

the

two

items

most

commonly

affect



ing

defence

access

to

advice.

Crown

prosecutors

face

resource

strains

as

well

and

are

likely

to

face

even

more

such

limitations

with

the

imminent

legalization

of

marijuana.

Accessing

appropriate

expert

advice

will

help

in

the

best

possible

review

of

a

file

of

this

sort.

Because

of

the

infancy

of

this

area

of

law

in

Canada,

a

search

further

afield

may

be

required.

Our

neighbours

to

the

South

have

a

great

deal

more

experience

with

DRE,

and

both

expert

advice

and

Continuing

Professional

Development

on

these

matters

are

often

easier

to

access

there.

DRE

OFFICERS

The

first

type

of

expert

that

is

commonly

overlooked

in

this

sort

of

case

is

a

DRE

officer.

In

cases

where

DRE

tests

are

undertaken,

it

is

useful

to

have

such

results

reviewed

by

another

similarly

trained

officer.

As

a

result

of

the

protocols

involved

in

DRE

testing,

the

officer

should

be

seeing

their

results

reviewed

as

part

of

the

testing

process.

For

the

defence,

finding

a

retired

officer

with

DRE

training

is

a

relatively

easy

way

to

have

the

report

reviewed.

An

interesting

question

will

be

whether

the

retention

of

a

retired

DRE

officer

who

maintains

their

qualifications

and

can

point

out

the

frail



ties

in

the

tests

themselves

and

the

manner

in

which

they

are

undertaken,

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