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Sheriffs tell committee Vermont needs training and capacity to address cannabis‑related impairment
Summary
Representing the Vermont Sheriffs Association, Wyndham County Sheriff Mark Anderson told lawmakers the association had not been briefed on S.278 and flagged impaired‑driving detection, funding gaps for ‘green labs’ and limited Drug Recognition Expert coverage; he suggested private security as a backstop for events if local agencies cannot staff them.
Mark Anderson, Wyndham County sheriff and past president of the Vermont Sheriffs Association, told the House Committee on Government Operations & Military Affairs that his association had not been aware of S.278 before the committee’s invitation and therefore had no formal position. He described enforcement capacity concerns tied to event security and identifying cannabis impairment on the road.
“We have no awareness of this bill,” Anderson said, adding that the sheriffs’ group appreciates being invited to testify. He urged the committee to consider structures like those used by liquor control — an enforcement branch and event security plans — that the Cannabis Control Board could require for organized cannabis events.
Anderson highlighted the state’s training ladder for impaired‑driving detection: standardized field sobriety testing, the ARIDE (Advanced Roadside Impairment Detection Enforcement) course required by statute, and Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) training that can help distinguish categories of drug impairment. He said the state has roughly 50 DRE‑trained officers but that broader capacity gaps remain.
A recurring topic in law‑enforcement testimony was funding for “green labs,” training environments that help officers recognize cannabis impairment. Anderson explained that federal funding streams often used for alcohol‑related training cannot be spent on cannabis products, complicating procurement for training that would require controlled cannabis exposure.
“Green Labs are difficult because most of the funding related to alcohol enforcement is federal funding, and federal funding currently prohibits any purchase of marijuana, cannabis related products,” Anderson said. He urged lawmakers to consider funding options and offered to return with colleagues and a coordinator from the Vermont Police Academy for deeper testimony on impairment data and training needs.
Committee members asked about roadside testing, the collection of ‘place of last drink’ data and whether existing case-management tools capture cannabis impairment. Anderson said evidence collection for drug impairment typically relies on blood draws and that some software updates would be needed to capture cannabis‑specific fields in the state’s records management systems.
Anderson and members discussed private security as a potential alternative if local law‑enforcement agencies lack personnel to staff events, and he recommended further briefings with the Vermont Police Academy to explore how data collection and training could better support impaired‑driving enforcement.
