PAAM Traffic Safety Training Program Webinar
Series:
Combatting Marihuana-Impaired Driving
7 – Part Series
Wednesdays 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm EST
September – October – November
OVERVIEW:
Part 1 & 2:
Wednesday, September 15 & 29, 2021 – Update on Michigan’s Marihuana Laws
In these two sessions,
Michigan Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor Kenneth Stecker will provide a
comprehensive overview of Michigan’s marihuana laws—the Michigan Medical
Marihuana Act, the Medical Marihuana Facilities Licensing Act, and the Michigan
Regulation and Taxation of Marihuana Act. These sessions will educate
prosecutors, law enforcement officers, and traffic safety professionals on how
marihuana is covered under Michigan’s Operating While Intoxicated statutes,
important Michigan case law dealing with marihuana, and issues other states
have had with the legalization of marihuana.
Part 3: Wednesday,
October 13, 2021 – Prosecuting the Marihuana-Impaired Driver
With the legalization of both
medicinal and recreational marihuana nationwide, prosecutors now face unique
challenges in presenting OWI cases involving marihuana impairment.
Colorado was one of the first states to legalize marihuana for recreational
use, and its prosecutors have gained great insight into the unique issues such
legalization has caused. Colorado TSRP Jennifer Knudsen will provide
insight into the growing complexities of prosecuting a marihuana OWI case, and
will discuss tips from her state that will help prosecutors prepare for
prosecuting these difficult cases.
Part 4: Wednesday,
October 20, 2021 – Investigating the Marihuana-Impaired Driver
With marihuana-impaired
driving on the rise, law enforcement officers must be prepared to thoroughly
investigate these drivers on the road. Marihuana-impaired driving
investigations may be challenging for law enforcement in ways that are
different than alcohol-impaired driving investigations. Michigan State
Police Sergeant Jim Janes will focus on these differences and what road
officers need to know when investigating a marihuana-impaired driver.
Sergeant Janes will discuss the tools and techniques available to officers to
help build a strong case of impairment in these types of cases.
Part 5: Wednesday,
October 27, 2021 – Putting the Pieces Together: Trying a Marihuana-Impaired
Driving Case from a Prosecutor and DRE Perspective
Marihuana-impaired driving
cases can be some of the most challenging cases to try for OWI
prosecutors. From public perceptions that marihuana is not as bad as
alcohol to aggressive OWI defense attorneys, there are many obstacles a
prosecutor will need to overcome. In this session, St. Clair County
Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Megan Leyva and DRE-trained St. Clair County
Deputy Josh Goodrich will discuss ways to overcome some of these obstacles
including the issue of “low levels” of THC and no “bad driving” in these types
of cases. They will discuss a marihuana-impaired driving case they worked
on together from their respective positions and discuss the importance of
collaboration on these cases.
Part 6: Wednesday,
November 3, 2021 – Old Drug, New Issues: Cannabis and OWI in the Recreational
Age
Former Michigan State Police
Toxicologist Dr. Michele Glinn will provide an overview of the historical and
current legal landscape of marihuana use from a toxicology perspective.
Dr. Glinn will also discuss what research shows about the effects of marihuana
on driving and highlight a marihuana-impaired driving case.
Part 7: Wednesday,
November 11, 2021 – The Implications of Field Sobriety Test Evidence in
Marihuana-Impaired Driving Cases
This session will
provide an overview of field sobriety test evidence as it relates to marihuana-impaired driving cases. Oregon Traffic Safety
Resource Prosecutor Deena Ryerson and Wyoming Traffic Safety Resource Prosecugor Ashley Schluck will
discuss defense challenges in the use of field sobriety test evidence for marihuana impairment. The session will further cover
various court rulings on this issue and how prosecutors and law enforcement
officers can prepare to deal with challenges to the admission of field
sobriety test evidence.
REGISTRATION
There is no charge to attend
this webinar series, but you must register in advance. To register for the
webinar series, go to https://mipaam.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_DA4rgNC0T8-jezfBtyRwNg
After registering you will
receive a confirmation email from Zoom with instructions on how to join the
webinar. Please make sure you retain the confirmation email sent to
you. Please be careful to enter your email address correctly. You
will not be able to join the webinar if you do not receive a confirmation email
from Zoom.
This series will be
recorded. If you will be unable to attend this webinar at the scheduled time
but would still like to watch it, please go ahead and register as
indicated. Everyone who is registered will receive a link to the
recording of the webinar regardless of whether or not they attended.
Each webinar course is
approved for 1 hour of credit under PAAM’s recommended CLE Best Practice.
HANDOUTS
The training handouts, if
any, will be made available the day of each webinar.
If you have any questions or
need any assistance registering for the webinar, please feel free to contact
Amy Gronowski at gronowskia@michigan.gov
or at 517-643-2114.
_._,_._,_
|