Dedicated to removing the impaired driver from Maine's roads
This section is for ALL officers who are interested in removing impaired drivers from our roadways. We're always looking for ways to improve, so if you have a suggestion or comment, please e-mail the webmaster.
- Program Overview
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History and Development
Since the mid-1970s, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), with the cooperation and assistance of the law enforcement community, has conducted research that resulted in the development of a battery of three standardized field sobriety tests (horizontal gaze nystagmus, walk-and-turn, and the one leg stand) to assist police officers in detecting impaired drivers. The program, which was previously termed Improved Sobriety Testing, was initially developed by the Los Angeles Police Department and was validated in laboratory and field studies conducted by the Southern California Research Institute. Training in how to conduct the tests is included in the NHTSA course DWI Detection and Standardized Field Sobriety Testing.
In 1986, the Advisory Committee on Highway Safety of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) passed a resolution which recommended that law enforcement agencies adopt and implement the field sobriety testing training program developed by NHTSA. As the program has grown, it has become apparent that in order to insure continued success, nationally accepted standards must be established. These standards, which establish criteria for the selection and training of SFST practitioners, would help insure the continued high level of success of the SFST program. In 1992, the IACP Highway Safety Committee recommended the development of this system of nationally accepted standards.
In April of 1992, the IACP and NHTSA sponsored a meeting at the headquarters of IACP in Arlington, Virginia. Persons invited to this meeting included senior SFST instructors from several states, curriculum specialists, and training administrators. The participants met in working groups to reach a consensus concerning the many issues relating to the SFST program and to develop recommended minimum standards to the IACP Advisory Committee on Highway Safety. The standards were drafted and presented to the committee for their review at the midyear meeting in June 1992.
The Advisory Committee on Highway Safety, by resolution, adopted the nationalstandards for the SFST Program. The standards were subsequently approved by voting membership of the IACP. (see standards in program overview)
Maine has adopted the National Standards and has been instructing the SFST curriculum since the early 1990's. Although we do not offer a certification in the SFST program, students that complete the classroom and field evaluations receive a non-lapsing certificate of proficiency in SFST.
The Maine Bureau of Highway Safety (MeBHS) provides oversight and funding for the SFST program in Maine. The MeBHS works closely with the Maine Criminal Justice Academy (MCJA) to support the SFST program.
- Training and Certification
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With 100 certified SFST instructors throughout the State of Maine, a large percentage of Maine Criminal Justice Academy (MCJA) SFST training takes place off site. MCJA does offer several in-service classes each year for SFST and SFST refresher training which will be posted in this section.
SFST Refresher Training: (4 hour class)
SFST Refresher training is intended for officers that have previously completed the 24 hour NHTSA DWI Detection and Standardized Field Sobriety Testing program and failed to gain proficiency within the 6 month allotted period. Successful completion of this class will allow the officer an additional 6 month period to complete their field evaluations and meet with an instructor to complete the proficiency process. Some officers that have already received proficiency take the class as a refresher.
Justice Planning and Management (JPMA) in conjunction with MeBHS and AAA Northern New England has created an on-line version of the SFST refresher training that is avaiable to any Maine Law Enforcement Officer that has completed the full SFST training curriculum.
MCJA will post upcoming classes throughout the state. If your agency has a need for refresher training and would like to sponsor a class in your region, we can work with you to schedule a class.
SFST Training: (24 hour class)
SFST training is intended for full time officers that will be working in patrol and enforcing impaired driving laws. Officers that complete this class and desire to be deemed proficient in SFST will have 6 months from the end of class to complete 10 field evaluations and meet with an instructor to complete the SFST proficiency exam.
MCJA will post upcoming classes throughout the state. Although MCJA does not often run in-service SFST classes on site, we do run 6 classes per year for the Basic Law Enforcement Training Program (BLETP) students. We frequently have room for 2-3 students to join these classes if they can not find a class regionally.
SFST Instructor Training: (40 hour class)
MCJA offers SFST Instructor training every other year. We alternate years with the Breath Testing Instructor Development program. Students in this class have to have completed MCJA Methods of Instruction (MOI), be very familiar with the SFST curriculum, and have a sincere desire to teach, The 40 hour class involves classroom and live teaching segments.
SFST Training Schedule:
None at this time.
- Forms
- Manuals
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DWI Detection & Standardized Field Sobriety Testing (SFST Basic) Manuals:
Feb 2000 -- Student Manual (PDF)
Jan 2002 -- Instructor Manual (PDF), Student Manual (PDF)
Sep 2004 -- Instructor Manual (PDF), Student Manual (PDF)
Feb 2006 -- Instructor Manual (PDF), Student Manual (PDF)
Mar 2013 -- Student Manual (PDF)
May 2013 -- Instructor Manual (PDF)
Oct 2015 -- Instructor Manual (PDF), Student Manual (PDF)
Feb 2018 -- Instructor Manual (PDF), Student Manual (PDF)
Feb 2023 -- Instructor Manual (PDF), Student Manual (PDF)DWI Detection & Standardized Field Sobriety Testing (SFST Refresher) Manuals:
Mar 2002 -- Instructor Manual (PDF), Student Manual (PDF)
Sep 2004 -- Instructor Manual (PDF), Student Manual (PDF)
Aug 2008 (4-hour) -- Instructor Manual (PDF), Student Manual (PDF)
Aug 2008 (8-hour) -- Instructor Manual (PDF), Student Manual (PDF)
2009 Session II -- Instructor Manual (PDF), Student Manual (PDF)
Oct 2015 -- Instructor Manual (PDF), Student Manual (PDF)
Feb 2018 -- Instructor Manual (PDF), Student Manual (PDF)
Feb 2023 -- Instructor Manual (PDF), Student Manual (PDF) - Instructors
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06/1/2022
County List
York Franklin, Kennebec, Somerset Chabot Kevin Wells PD Allen Seth MSP - Traffic Cunniff John Saco PD Dinsmore Ryan Waterville PD Gosselin Christopher York PD Drouin Anthony Augusta PD McNeice Brian York PD Fleming Haley MSP-C Parker Victor Biddeford PD Gove Normand Gardiner PD Raymond Andrew Sanford PD Hastings Ed Fire Marshal Richardson Carlton MWS Sanford Heath Paul Clinton PD Schoff Kevin Kennebunk PD Hutchings Christopher Augusta PD Sargent Ashley N Berwick PD Jackson Joseph Somerset SO Wagner Jason Buxton PD Madore Jason MSP-C Maloon Tyler MSP-C Cumberland McDonald Kyle Waterville PD Anastasoff Shawn Scarborough PD Petrini Breanne MSP Training Benjamin Rory Cape Elizabeth PD Veilleux John Winslow PD Bernier Joshua Brunswick PD Feeney Andrew Cumberland SO Sagadahoc, Lincoln, Knox, Waldo Gallant Eugene Windham PD Beal Joshua MWS Hatch Ted Gorham PD Bryan Eric Bath PD Hendee Scott Cumberland PD Finnegan Edwin MCJA Horning Rachel BMV - Portland Greely James Searsport PD Libby Robert Judicial Marshal-York Kane Brendan Lincoln SO Mattox Scot Falmouth PD Olson Garrett Sagadahoc SO Physic Elgin MSP-B Polky Patrick Knox SO Roma John Brunswick PD Sharpe Matthew Sagadahoc SO Shinay Chris Portland PD Simmons David MWS-Belfast Smith Allisha Cumberland SO Smith Arthur Knox SO Thurlow Kaitlyn Gorham PD Smith Roy Belfast PD Thurlow Michael Scarborough PD Welch Danielle Cumberland SO Penobscot, Piscataquis Williams Raymond Windham PD Angelo Sarah Orono PD Yeaton Matthew Falmouth PD Benjamin Ed Holden PD Dauphinee Troy MWS-Greenville Androscoggin, Oxford Day Stephen Holden PD Burkhardt Jeffrey Lewiston PD Everett Joseph Brewer PD Clukey Brock MWS Rumford Farrar Shannon Bangor PD Levesque Andrew Lisbon PD Gauvin Paul Brewer PD Mailhot Greg Androscoggin SO Gray Christopher Orono PD McGee Ryan Lisbon PD Henderson David Fire Marshal Schmieks Barry Auburn PD Kurth Kari MSP-E Winson Lawrence Rumford PD Mangino Nicholas MWS-Dexter Merrill Daniel Orono PD Aroostook, Washington, Hancock Miller Lee Old Town PD Cake Judson Bar Harbor PD Miller William Hampden PD Cochran Chad Caribou PD Perry Jordan Bangor PD Dominy Brian Acadia Ntl Park Rackliff Jeremy Piscataquis SO Dupuis Dakota Hancock SO Rusby Tyler Bangor PD Hayes Christopher Presque Isle PD Stuart Jason Bangor PD Mote Kelvin Ellsworth PD Turcotte Aaron MSP-Traffic Rudolph Eric MWS Ellsworth Walsh John Penobscot SO Listed Alphabetically
Last Name First Name Agency Last Name First Name Agency Allen Seth MSP Traffic Madore Jason MSP - C Anastasoff Shawn Scarborough PD Mailhot Gregory Androscoggin SO Angelo Sarah Orono PD Maloon Tyler MSP - C Beal Joshua MWS Mangino Nicholas MWS Newport Benjamin Rory Cape Elizabeth PD Mattox Scot Falmouth PD Benjamin Ed Holden PD McDonald Kyle Waterville PD Bernier Joshua Brunswick PD McGee Ryan Lisbon PD Bryan Eric Bath PD McNeice Brian York PD Burkhardt Jeffrey Lewiston PD Merrill Daniel Orono PD Cake Judson Bar Harbor PD Miller Lee Old Town PD Chabot Kevin Wells PD Miller William Hampden PD Clukey Brock MWS Rumford Mote Kelvin Ellsworth PD Cochran Chad Caribou PD Olson Garrett Sagadahoc SO Cunniff John Saco PD Parker Victor Biddeford PD Dauphinee Troy MWS - Greenville Perry Jordan Bangor PD Day Stephen Holden PD Petrini Breanne MSP-Training Dinsmore Ryan Waterville PD Physic Elgin MSP-B Dominy Brian Acadia Ntl Park Polky Patrick Knox SO Drouin Anthony Augusta PD Rackliff Jeremy Piscataquis SO Dupuis Dakota Hancock SO Raymond Andrew Sanford PD Everett Joseph Brewer PD Richardson Carlton MWS Sanford Farrar Shannon Bangor PD Roma John Brunswick PD Feeney Andrew Cumberland SO Rudolph Eric MWS Ellsworth Finnegan Edwin MCJA Rusby Tyler Bangor PD Fleming Haley MSP-C Sargent Ashley N Berwick PD Gallant Eugene Windham PD Schoff Kevin Kennebunk PD Gauvin Paul Brewer PD Schmieks Barry Auburn PD Gosselin Christopher York PD Sharpe Matthew Sagadahoc SO Gove Normand Gardiner PD Shinay Chris Portland PD Gray Christopher Orono PD Simmons David MWS Belfast Greely James Searsport PD Smith Alisha Cumberland SO Hastings Edward Fire Marshal Smith Arthur Knox SO Hatch Theodore Gorham PD Smith Roy Belfast PD Hayes Christopher Presque Isle PD Stuart Jason Bangor PD Heath Paul Clinton PD Thurlow Kaitlyn Gorham PD Hendee Scott Cumberland PD Thurlow Michael Scarborough PD Henderson David Fire Marshal Turcotte Aaron MSP Traffic Horning Rachel BMV Veilleux John Winslow PD Hutchings Christopher Augusta PD Wagner Jason Buxton PD Jackson Joseph Somerset SO Walsh John Penobscot SO Kane Brendan Lincoln SO Welch Danielle Cumberland SO Kurth Kari MSP - E Williams Raymond Windham PD Levesque Andrew Lisbon PD Winson Lawrence Rumford PD Libby Robert Judicial Marshal Yeaton Matthew Falmouth PD