Pubdate: Mon, 31 Mar 2014 Source: Morning Sun (Mt. Pleasant, MI) Copyright: 2014 Morning Sun Contact: http://www.themorningsun.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3938 Author: Susan Field Page: A1 OFFICER TRAINED TO DETECT DRUG USE When Mt. Pleasant Police Officer Michael Covarrubias was in training in Arizona, he was talking to a drug addict who rather abruptly said, "I'm going to seize." Immediately after that proclamation, the man dropped to the floor and had a seizure, which was prompted by drug withdrawal. Addressing a group at the second annual Isabella County Drug Symposium last week at the Commission on Aging building, Covarrubias said the man was severely dependent on Xanax, an antianxiety medication. Talking to the man was part of Covarrubias' training to be a drug recognition expert. Covarrubias is one of an elite group of law enforcement officers who are trained to recognize when a person is using drugs illegally. Covarrubias, who spent time on the Bay Area Narcotics Enforcement Team, said the public must be proactive in fighting drugs and that, the older he gets, the more he cares about the people affected by drugs. When Covarrubias is face to face with a drug addict, the first thing is asks is, how did this happen? Many have a moment of clarity, Covarrubias said, and regret starting down the road they followed. "It takes people to care," he said. "The reason people take drugs is they're trying to escape something." Having been in law enforcement for 25 years, Covarrubias said he thinks former First Lady Nancy Reagan was right when she said "Just Say No." Once someone starts taking drugs, it's tough to kick, he said. Being in BAYANET gave Covarrubias a wealth of information, and now he uses the skills he acquired there, along with the drug detection training, to help others. One conclusion he came to is, life-long drug users aren't typically trying to get high. They're trying to not get sick. Covarrubias once talked to a woman who earned a bachelor's degree and was a nurse, married with children, before her life took a turn. Once a happy wife and mother, who tended to the ill, the ended up living in a trailer, addicted to meth. She lost everything she loved, Covarrubias said. Now, as part of his pledge to protect and serve, Covarrubias does everything he can to stop people from using illegal drugs. He also knows how to spot someone who has. Police in Isabella County call in Covarrubias, who is also a patrol officer, when there are signs of substance abuse with no easy answers. Drug Recognition protocol began in California and is relatively new to Michigan, he said. When Covarrubias is called upon to determine whether someone has taken illegal drugs or controlled substances, he starts by asking whether the person is having a medical issue. Once that's off the table, he gets down to business. Procedures Covarrubias follow include first taking the person's blood pressure, pulse and body temperature. Many illegal drugs and controlled substances alter those bodily functions. He also checks the person's eyes for either dilated or pinpoint pupils, another clue. Covarrubias, one of about 48 drug recognition experts in Michigan, said it is important to use standardized, systematic testing. He also looks for skin sores and raspy voices, and takes note of body weight. Current trends include the abuse of prescription drugs, medical marijuana, one pot meth and heroin, he said. "We have become a nation who wants to forget our problems," Covarrubias said. "Ninety-nine percent of the world's prescriptions for Vicodin are in the United States." Covarrubias urged people to bring unused prescription drugs to the drop box at the Mt. Pleasant Police Department. Many are doing just that; Covarrubias said 5-gallon buckets of unwanted medications are frequently taken from the box to be destroyed. Covarrubias, who said he has seen a drug user's brain "cooked" because the body can't regulate heat correctly, teaches high school teachers every year about how to detect drug use. - --- MAP posted-by: Matt