St.Pierre RCMP has what is considered a "rare commodity" on its force.

Meet Constable Shane Conway. He is what is referred to as a Drug Recognition Expert. Conway completed a three week program in Phoenix, Arizona in March, 2015. This transportation safety program focuses on the detection and apprehension of drug-impaired drivers.

Conway says the world of impaired driving has changed. It used to be that impaired operation of a motor vehicle meant a motorist was influenced by alcohol. He says today there is so much more underneath that umbrella and it is his responsibility to figure out what it might be.

According to Conway, only one per cent of peace officers in this country have his qualifications.

"It's a rare commodity and you could be deemed as an expert within court as a subject matter expert in regards to the impaired operation by drugs," he says.

Conway says since last March, he has been part of more than 30 evaluations. In some cases these are motorists which he has pulled over. Other times, he is called in if an officer has caught a suspected impaired driver, but has ruled out alcohol as being the reason for the impairment.

According to the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the responsibility of a Drug Recognition Expert is to conduct a detailed, diagnostic examination of someone arrested or suspected of drug-impaired driving or similar offences. Based on the results of the drug evaluation, they form an expert opinion as to whether or not the person is impaired. If that person is impaired, they must determine if the impairment is due to injury, illness or other medical complication or if it is drug related. And, if the Expert concludes that the impairment is due to drugs than he or she must determine which category or combination of categories of drugs is the most likely source of impairment.

The drug evaluation takes about one hour to complete and is typically not done at the roadside. It usually happens at police headquarters or other location where impaired drivers are transported after arrest.

After completing the three week program, Conway is now able to identify signs and symptoms of impairment in the following seven drug categories: central nervous system depressants, central nervous system stimulants, hallucinogens, phencyclidine and analogs, narcotic analgesics, inhalants and cannabis.

The drug evaluation program has become extremely successful in some American states, including Oregon where drug-impaired driving arrests have increased by 150% since the inception of the program in 1995 and in Washington, where those arrests are up 200% since 1996.