Unusual request from local police: Get high, get tested

As the saying goes, there’s a first time for everything, and this is the first time we’ve received an announcement like this for publication. Sent by Southwest Precinct crime-prevention coordinator Jennifer Satterwhite:

The SPD Training Unit will be hosting a DUI Green Lab on Friday, May 9th.

We are looking for volunteers (Age 21 and over) to consume marijuana and allow Officers to practice Standard Field Sobriety Tests on them.

This is a great opportunity for Officers to learn from consumers in a controlled environment; and for the volunteers to learn about their own tolerances, and learn about the testing process for DUIs.

Volunteers will consume marijuana in whatever form they prefer (edibles, vape, smoking, etc.) and will be paired up with an Officer in the class.

The Officer will observe how the volunteer’s impairment changes over time and the Officer will run some basic tests on the volunteer, to simulate DUI testing.

The volunteers would be asked to arrive at our SPD Training Facility in SODO at approximately 9:30am, and the training should be finished by about 4pm.

We ask the volunteers to provide their own product (with receipts, if possible).

We will provide lunch and snacks.

We also ask the volunteers not to drive to or from the training, but we can provide transportation, if necessary.

Anyone who is interested in volunteering can contact me via email (Jennifer.Satterwhite@seattle.gov) and/or via text 206-471-2849.

The training is relevant because an increasing number of DUIs involve this type of impairment.

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