Standardized Field Sobriety Testing

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

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

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

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

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