Field Investigation Drug Officer (FIDO)
Streamlining Straightforward Drug Possession
The efficiency of the entire criminal justice system is impacted by the overwhelming caseload of drug investigations. As a result, many cases fail to be prosecuted in a reasonable timeframe or are dismissed due to a lack of timely sample analysis. Straightforward possession drug cases comprise a significant percentage of those investigations. Handling the cases at the investigative level has the potential to streamline the adjudication process, enabling the reduction of backlogged investigations and the efficient use of resources.
Under the direction of the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Centers (NLECTC) and the Forensic Resource Network (FRN) formed a focus group consisting of representatives from the law enforcement, forensic science, corrections, legal, and judicial communities to facilitate the development and deployment of the Field Investigation Drug Officer Program.
Program Features and Benefits
- Based on the evaluation of an existing model, operated by the Phoenix Police Department, which has demonstrated a positive impact on the regional criminal justice system with cost savings and increased efficiency at all levels
- Comprehensive training program, recommended practice guide, and quality assurance system that provides law enforcement personnel with the resources necessary to perform preliminary identification of the most commonly encountered drugs of abuse (marijuana, methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin)
- Designed with sufficient flexibility to enable adaptation based on agency-specific needs and resources
- Includes the articulation of legal issues, guidelines for quality assurance, materials for development of training and certification programs, and guidelines for the selection, testing and evaluation of testing materials and emerging technologies
- Establishes minimum standards for FIDO programs, including program management issues, officer and trainer selection, and efficacy assessment
- Provides immediate investigative information without the need for extensive laboratory analysis as well as facilitation of case adjudication in the preliminary phase; field test may factor into obtaining an immediate plea agreement. (Cases proceeding to trial are submitted for complete analysis at the laboratory.)
View the FIDO tech transition workshop online.
To access all FIDO program documentation to implement the program, download this ZIP file and save to your computer:
FIDO Implementation Documents (ZIP file) (55.3 MiB, 347 hits)