Saskatoon Police have a new tool to help detect if someone is driving under the influence of marijuana or cocaine.
On Thursday afternoon, Saskatoon Police unveiled their new drug test machine called the Drager DrugTest 5000.
Staff Sergeant Patrick Barbar says once an individual’s saliva has been taken, the machine may take up to 6 minutes to provide a positive or negative result if the person being tested is indeed driving under the influence or cocaine or marijuana.
Currently, Saskatoon Police only has one machine thanks to a donation from the federal government.
SGI’s Tyler McMurchy says 6 municipalities in Saskatchewan have received a machine including Saskatoon, Prince Albert and Regina.
The device has an operating temperature between 4 and 40 degrees Celsius.
When asked about using the machine throughout the cold weather months, Barbar says the machine wouldn’t be used outdoors but that it can be used inside a warm vehicle.
The 6 thousand dollar machine is new to Canada, although it has been used in other countries including Australia.
Barbar adds that the standardized field sobriety test will still be the main way to determine is someone is driving under the influence given that the new machine can only detect cocaine and marijuana.
Barbar expects to have the machine in the field within 2 to 4 weeks.