Colfax Village Board approves DRE training for police officer
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By LeAnn R. Ralph
COLFAX — After Colfax Police Officer Kurt Devroy completes the training, Colfax will have its very own Drug Recognition Expert.
The Colfax Village Board approved at the March 25 meeting a request to send Devroy to the 16-day training, which will require four trips to Milwaukee.
Although Colfax Police Chief William Anderson was out of town at the time of the village board meeting, he provided a letter of support for Devroy’s DRE training.
“There are only a handful of DREs in the surrounding communities, and not always available. With what appears to be a consistent and climbing drug environment, I believe having someone trained in this area would be invaluable. Not only do DREs detect impaired driving, they would be able to field test people involved in other types of cases as well where the presence of drugs may be considered an important issue, including child neglect, weapons offenses, and sexual assault investigations,” Police Chief Anderson wrote.
A grant covers the cost of the training, including tuition, lodging and two meals per day.
Devroy told the village board he would be driving the village’s old squad car, which various village employees use to go to training, and estimated the cost of gasoline for the four trips to be $215.
Some departments pay their officers for for their travel time, but Devroy said he would be driving “for free.”
The training is scheduled for April 9 through April 12; April 15 through April 19; May 8 through May May 12; and May 20 through May 24.
In his letter of support, Police Chief Anderson noted that the Colfax Police Department is a little short handed right now, “but part-time Office Bautch was able to pick up several of the shifts, and I will work some extra hours to help gaps in coverage.”
Devroy said the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Department offers the training at different times of the year and that certain training times are open to select counties.
Dunn County was not one of the counties in line for the spring course, but the course ended up with openings, so Devroy was accepted.
“Not every officer that applies is accepted to attend this training,” Police Chief Anderson noted in his letter.
“(This is) an excellent training opportunity,” said Keith Burcham, village trustee.
Travel time
While at the training, Devroy will be paid as if he were working a regular shift in Colfax, although employees usually are not paid for their drive time to training, said Lynn Niggemann, village administrator-clerk-treasurer.
Anne Jenson, village trustee, wondered what time of the day Devroy would be driving.
The course starts at 8 a.m. Monday morning, so Devroy said he planned to drive down on Sunday since the officers are allowed to check into the hotel on Sunday.
Each training session ends at 4 p.m., so at the end of each week, Devroy said he would “drive home late.”
Devroy would be paid for his time if he were traveling during the work day, Niggemann said.
The DRE training will be a benefit to Devroy. The village board is not requiring him to take the training, and Devroy “is requesting to go,” she said.
Niggemann noted that when she attends training in Wisconsin Dells, she leaves at 4 a.m. for a session that starts at 8 a.m. and is not paid for her drive time.
Sheila Riemer, deputy clerk-treasurer, also is not paid for her drive time, Niggemann said.
Gary Stene, village president, pointed out that “management” with the village are salaried employees, and that by law, the village cannot ask hourly employees to work for nothing.
The village should compensate Devroy for his time, Stene said.
The training will be a benefit to Devroy, and the village is not requiring him to take the training, Jenson said.
“What kind of outfit are we running?” Stene asked, adding that unless an employee is salaried, the village should be compensating for travel time.
Stene said employees “should not make out like a bandit,” but they also “should not take a beating.”
Mark Halpin, village trustee, asked about past practice.
In the past, the village has not paid employees for travel time, Niggemann said.
Employees do not “magically appear” at training sessions, Stene said.
Niggemann brought out the employee handbook and said, according to the handbook, employees who go to training are reimbursed for expenses and meals.
When the state legislature all but eliminated collective bargaining for public employees in 2011, collective bargaining agreements were replaced with employee handbooks.
Law enforcement officers were one of the groups of employees exempted from the legislation, so police unions are still able to collectively bargain for pay increases above a certain percentage and for working conditions.
Keith Burcham said the issue of compensating Devroy for his travel time should be a discussion separate from the discussion about the training request.
Agency cost
What about the cost to the police department for the “breath tester?” Keith Burcham asked.
Trainees are asked to bring a “PBT” (preliminary breath tester) with them for the training, and Devroy said he would be bringing the Colfax Police Department’s PBT with him.
The field certification training for the DRE requires trainees to use the PBT out in the field.
One portion of the training will be on the nightshift in Milwaukee, Devroy said.
According to information provided in the village board packet, DREs are trained to identify people “whose driving is impaired by drugs other than, or in addition, to alcohol … there are seven categories of classifications a DRE is looking for, including: central nervous system depressants (benzodiazepines), CNS stimulants (methamphetamine), dissociative anesthetics (PCP), cannabis, hallucinogens (mushrooms), inhalants (glue), and narcotic analgesics (opiates).”
Trainees will be looking for people who are impaired out on the street in Milwaukee, Devroy said.
When people are approached about testing for being under the influence of something, they are told they will not be prosecuted and are only asked to be truthful about what they are under the influence of, he said.
The Colfax Village Board unanimously approved Devroy’s request for DRE training.
In addition to Stene, Keith Burcham, Halpin and Jenson, village trustees Margaret Burcham, Carey Davis and David Wolff voted in favor of the motion.