Ottawa police hold off on roadside pot-test device

Some Canadian police forces, including Ottawa’s, appear hesitant to use a federally approved roadside marijuana test, raising questions about the Liberal government’s decision to give the devices the green light.

Vancouver’s police department is among those that won’t use the Drager DrugTest 5000 when pot is legalized next month because it says the device doesn’t work in subzero temperatures, is bulky and takes too long to produce a sample.

“We’re just not comfortable moving forward with this machine and we’re looking at other options,” said Sgt. Jason Robillard.

National RCMP spokeswoman Sgt. Marie Damian said the force will have a strategic, limited rollout of the device in consultation with provincial and municipal partners.

Standardized field sobriety tests and drug recognition experts will continue to be the primary enforcement tools, she said.

The RCMP has taken the lead on training Canadian police officers on the devices and has ordered 20 units for that purpose. The training will be available “on or prior to” Oct. 17, when marijuana will be legal, she said.

Ottawa police are also holding off on using the Drager test.

“It is not ‘No’ forever, it is just ‘No’ for now,” said Const. Amy Gagnon. “The one big concern is we have such a fluctuation in weather and the instrument specifications for temperature would be ... an issue for us.”

Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould defended the approval of the device in the Senate on Tuesday. The Canadian Society of Forensic Science examined the machine and the public had an opportunity to give feedback, she said.

“It is not the only tool that law enforcement officers have. It’s an additional tool,” she said. “There is a potential that in the future I will certify additional devices.”

Rob Clark, managing director of Drager Canada, disputed criticisms of the device.

It operates best between temperatures of 4 C and 40 C. But the main part of the machine — which does the analysis — remains in the police vehicle where it’s protected from the cold, he said.

It’s only the oral swab that collects the saliva sample that is exposed to extreme temperatures. But Clark said the sample can be heated up when plugged into the machine in the car.