Volunteers help Iowa police train to detect drunk drivers

FORT DODGE (AP) ? Volunteers have taken part in an exercise to help Iowa law enforcement learn how to detect drunk drivers.

The Messenger reports that six volunteers began drinking around 1 p.m. Tuesday at the Iowa State Patrol's District 7 headquarters as part of the Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement exercise. The training exercises have been held for the past six years.

Officers from Webster County and surrounding areas used the volunteers, who had blood-alcohol contents between .08 and .12, to work on skills needed to conduct field sobriety tests.

Alcohol given to participants is often donated by local businesses.

Kevin Wickwire, of Dayton, said that he volunteered for the learning experience.

"[I want] to learn how I think I am versus how I actually am," Wickwire said. "I'm just interested to see how I do."

Trooper Bryan Beckman says that the training is a great tool to help law enforcement reduce impaired driving and prevent serious injury and death. Beckman noted that all volunteers were driven back to their homes after the conclusion of the exercises.

Fort Dodge Police Officer Troy Kleppe, who attended the exercise, said the training was valuable to him.

"It really opened up my eyes," Kleppe said. "There's a lot going on with how the body reacts (to alcohol) and more to look for."

Beckman says that they have been getting positive feedback from several groups about the training exercises, prosecutors and investigators who are trying to improve their investigations involving drunk driving.