Commission reviews rewritten 'impaired driving' enforcement policy; sergeant to return with edits
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Summary
Commissioners reviewed a near-complete rewrite of the DUI enforcement policy (now titled 'impaired driving'), saw a field sobriety demonstration, and asked for clarifications on testing terms and the urine/blood testing language; staff will bring a revised draft in January.
The Eugene Police Commission discussed a comprehensive rewrite of the department's impaired-driving enforcement policy, a 26-year update that the presenting sergeant described as "a complete tear down and rebuild." The commission did not vote on the policy but encouraged edits and asked staff to return in January with revisions.
Sergeant Jordan told the commission the new title—impaired driving—reflects changes in case law that allow officers to arrest for impairment from any impairing substance, not just alcohol. He introduced Officer Aidan Clark to demonstrate elements of standardized and nonstandard field sobriety testing.
Officer Aidan described how officers evaluate the totality of circumstances and demonstrated a timed balance test, explaining observable indicators such as swaying and eyelid tremors. “I take it very serious just because of the amount of lives that are saved,” Aidan said when explaining the program's purpose.
Commissioners asked technical and legal questions: what HGN stands for (horizontal gaze nystagmus), the role of standardized versus nonstandard tests, how ROARS/admonishments work when suspects decline tests, and whether urine remains an option under Oregon’s implied-consent process. The sergeant agreed to spell out acronyms and explicitly add the urine/blood section under the ICCR language before returning in January.
No formal motion was taken; presenters said they would incorporate edits identified by commissioners and bring a revised policy back to the commission.