Park County DUI task force weighs marijuana-impaired driving outreach and enforcement limits

Travis Orton, Park County health department director and lead of the DUI Task Force, opened the meeting and apologized for prior cancellations, then led discussion about outreach and enforcement options aimed at reducing drug- and alcohol-impaired driving in Park County.

The task force reviewed a plan to place signage and distribute informational cards at dispensaries to remind visitors that marijuana is illegal on federal lands such as Yellowstone Park. "I did dig into talking with MDT about placing signs," Orton said, noting state and federal standards make erecting highway signs burdensome and that the park itself might be better positioned to include notices in its visitor materials.

Group members discussed alternatives to new billboards, including inserting a notice in park literature. Theresa Sowell, co-owner of the Office Lounge, suggested the park's visitor paper could carry warnings to arriving guests.

The meeting shifted to enforcement challenges for drug-involved DUIs. A staff member cautioned that compiling multi-year data on drug DUIs requires case-by-case review and that detected marijuana-involved DUIs likely represent a small share of actual impaired driving. The staff member outlined enforcement standards: standardized field sobriety tests for alcohol, ARIDE (Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement) for suspected cannabis, and reliance on Drug Recognition Experts (DREs) for definitive determinations. They said local law enforcement currently lacks DREs, making conclusive testing difficult.

An agency official illustrated the practical problem with a recent case: "I had a hit and run crash in downtown ... By the time we got her out of the car, got her on the sidewalk, started looking into the DUI aspect, she'd completely come out," the official said, describing how impairment indicators can dissipate before officers can complete testing.

Members also raised concerns about flavored inhalant products and vape liquids that wear off quickly and may not be detectable by the time roadside checks occur. The group agreed these technical and timing limitations complicate enforcement of drug-impaired driving laws and limit the effectiveness of some deterrence strategies.

Orton said he would hold off on pursuing new highway signs until Leslie, the task force member who has driven the signage effort, can weigh in. "So I guess maybe we'll table that for a while because I'd like to get Leslie's input because she's been the main driver behind it," he said.

The task force also revisited event-based approaches such as wristbands and WEID bracelets for fairs and rodeos. Members warned that wristbands issued by outside entities can be traded or reused and may raise liability issues; some measures could also require city or commission approval. An agency official and staff members emphasized legal limits on proactive stops at mass events, noting that approaching someone simply because they appear underage risks Fourth Amendment violations.

As a formal action, the group voted to approve the minutes from the prior meeting after a motion by Theresa Sowell and a second from Andrew Emmanuel; the chair called for 'aye' and the minutes were approved.

The task force identified next steps: gather Leslie's input on signage, monitor use of distributed breathalyzer devices and whether more are needed, and continue coordinating with regional partners about training and DRE availability. The meeting included technical difficulties for one remote participant; Orton said he would resend a link to ensure she could join future meetings.