Police in Sarajevo Canton begin using drug indication devices and testing drivers for the presence of drugs in the body

(Patria) - The Police Administration of the Ministry of Interior of Sarajevo Canton has started using devices for drug indication and testing drivers for the presence of drugs in the body on roads in Sarajevo Canton.

These devices are currently used by police officers of the Traffic Unit of the Police Administration of the Ministry of Interior of Sarajevo Canton, covering the entire canton area. Police officers using the devices have been previously trained to operate them, in order to achieve maximum efficiency and precision when testing drivers.

Drivers found to have drugs in their system using these devices will be automatically removed from traffic, and measures will be taken against them in accordance with the Law on Misdemeanors of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Law on the Basics of Road Traffic Safety in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In accordance with the law, drivers may also request other methods of determination, and this will be provided to them. If a driver refuses testing and a police officer suspects they are driving under the influence of drugs, they can still be removed from traffic. All these measures are taken with the aim of increasing the safety of all traffic participants and saving human lives.

According to the Minister of Interior of Sarajevo Canton, Admir Katica, this is another indicator of the successful implementation of measures from the Strategy against Drug Abuse in Sarajevo Canton.

"These devices are a powerful tool in the hands of the police in the fight against traffic delinquency, especially considering that some of the traffic accidents with the most severe consequences in Sarajevo Canton were caused by reckless drivers under the influence of drugs. It is very important to remove such drivers from traffic during routine checks and test them on the spot because that is the best prevention," stated Minister Katica.

Police Commissioner of the Police Administration of the Ministry of Interior of Sarajevo Canton, Fatmir Hajdarević, said that the police use modern devices that provide fast and accurate results.

"These are modern devices that provide fast and accurate results of the presence of drugs in the body in a short time on the spot, which will certainly improve the daily work of police officers, especially during traffic control and efforts to prevent and suppress drug abuse," stated Police Commissioner Hajdarević.

The drug indication devices used by the police in Sarajevo Canton test for the presence of drugs through simple and rapid tests based on saliva, with results obtained on the spot. After taking a sample, the test (cassette) is inserted into the analyzer, and the analysis is automatically conducted, showing results after just a few minutes. The devices analyze a total of seven types of drugs, and the measured result is displayed as text on the instrument screen.

The Ministry of Interior of Sarajevo Canton and the Police Administration plan to procure a larger number of these devices in the future, so that each police station has at least one.