UPDATE: Unusual request from local police: Get high, get tested

11:38 AM: As the saying goes, there’s a first time for everything, and this is the first time we’ve received an announcement like this for publication. Sent by Southwest Precinct crime-prevention coordinator Jennifer Satterwhite:

The SPD Training Unit will be hosting a DUI Green Lab on Friday, May 9th.

We are looking for volunteers (Age 21 and over) to consume marijuana and allow Officers to practice Standard Field Sobriety Tests on them.

This is a great opportunity for Officers to learn from consumers in a controlled environment; and for the volunteers to learn about their own tolerances, and learn about the testing process for DUIs.

Volunteers will consume marijuana in whatever form they prefer (edibles, vape, smoking, etc.) and will be paired up with an Officer in the class.

The Officer will observe how the volunteer’s impairment changes over time and the Officer will run some basic tests on the volunteer, to simulate DUI testing.

The volunteers would be asked to arrive at our SPD Training Facility in SODO at approximately 9:30am, and the training should be finished by about 4pm.

We ask the volunteers to provide their own product (with receipts, if possible).

We will provide lunch and snacks.

We also ask the volunteers not to drive to or from the training, but we can provide transportation, if necessary.

Anyone who is interested in volunteering can contact me via email (Je******************@*****le.gov) and/or via text 206-471-2849.

The training is relevant because an increasing number of DUIs involve this type of impairment.

5:04 PM: Jennifer says the volunteer spots are all full, adding, “Thank you, West Seattle!”

36 Replies to "UPDATE: Unusual request from local police: Get high, get tested"

  • flimflam April 16, 2025 (11:48 am)

    Interesting idea really, but it would be utterly surreal to smoke weed “in a safe space” with a bunch of cops!

    • AN April 16, 2025 (12:45 pm)

      Why? It’s legal.

      • flimflam April 16, 2025 (4:38 pm)

        Because I spent a good portion of my life hiding that stuff from cops! It’s really not conducive for a fun high in my opinion. It’d definitely be interesting.

        • Oerthehillz April 16, 2025 (5:31 pm)

          I think I’d feel paranoid, then uncontrollable laughing, then the munchies, then I’d probably want to clean the precinct before I needed a nap.

  • Paul April 16, 2025 (12:33 pm)

    If I wasn’t busy this day I would do it!  I think its a great idea to help officers study and learn from this experiment.

    • Anne April 16, 2025 (12:51 pm)

      And vice-versa. 

  • K April 16, 2025 (12:59 pm)

    Tell me more about the “snacks” offered…

  • ltmmgm April 16, 2025 (1:11 pm)

    Tell me your first thought wasn’t this…

  • BlairJ April 16, 2025 (1:24 pm)

    I’m so glad they’re providing snacks for the volunteers!

  • SLJ April 16, 2025 (1:26 pm)

    I’m glad they’re providing snacks…

  • O. April 16, 2025 (1:36 pm)

    Yea, it’s a trap. Don’t fall for it. 

  • helpermonkey April 16, 2025 (1:39 pm)

    so you get to pay for your own supply, in order to provide free training for the police. mmmkay. 

    • heyalki April 16, 2025 (2:52 pm)

      Volunteering often/always involves a personal sacrifice of your time/money/resources as a way to benefit a greater good. That’s how it works.

      • k April 16, 2025 (3:15 pm)

        The point is that the police can afford to compensate people for their time.  Volunteering often involves filling a need that can’t/won’t be filled due to the financial constraints of an organization or person in need.  That’s how it works.

        • Matt April 16, 2025 (6:20 pm)

          I suspect if the police provided compensation for getting high they might risk issues with federal funding, especially in a blue city during this administration, for something still illegal federally.

          • k April 16, 2025 (7:31 pm)

            When the police did the same thing in Portland, the participants were compensated.  There is no issue with federal funding that exists here but not Portland.

          • 1994 April 16, 2025 (10:10 pm)

            Just responding to the compensation comments in general. The volunteers are being compensated – the SPD is providing lunch & snacks! Probably a beverage is also available.

  • Admiral-2009 April 16, 2025 (1:59 pm)

    Is this April 1st?  

  • 22blades April 16, 2025 (2:07 pm)

    This has a decidedly unscientific “feel” to it thus a real weak basis for any policy. I’m all for the study to prevent impaired driving but let’s do it in a way to hold up in court. Lawyers are just salivating over this one. Who came up with this?!

    • Sloan April 16, 2025 (5:48 pm)

      It isn’t supposed to be a scientific study, where in the world are you getting that from? Nor is there a single indication it’s being used as the precursor to change any policy. It’s a training designed officers can see what impairment looks like. 

  • Karen April 16, 2025 (2:28 pm)

    Are you taking 80 year olds who’ve never tried the stuff? Asking for a friend of course.

  • KT April 16, 2025 (2:42 pm)

    A friend of mine who works for the Sno County Prosecutors office volunteered for this same training for the Snohomish County Sheriff’s dept.  She said it was a lot of fun and the officers were so grateful for the opportunity to have this training.

  • Del Griffith April 16, 2025 (3:36 pm)

    Aren’t field sobriety tests generally recognized as unreliable? I think that’s the position of the WA Sheriff’s Association.

  • Zipda April 16, 2025 (3:39 pm)

    Doubt any serious pot smokers can get there by 930 AM.3-5 pm works better.

  • Kt April 16, 2025 (4:41 pm)

    If you google Green Lab Police you will see this type of training is done in pot friendly states across the country.  Googling Wet Lab Police will bring up similar training for people to drink alcohol 

  • Jay April 16, 2025 (9:59 pm)

    Ask any lawyer their opinion and experience with field sobriety tests. They’re used to arrest sober people. Do not consent to any subjective testing. Make the police do a chemical test. ESPECIALLY if you are sober. This is a very serious issue and something that shouldn’t be taken lightly or joked about.

  • Canton April 16, 2025 (11:55 pm)

    I’m guessing every participant would be id’ed to the fullest, and their participation would be forever  documented in their database as a pot smoking driver… Possibly?

    • ShaneB April 17, 2025 (8:17 am)

      Haha, paranoid much? Cut back on the reefer, bud ;)

  • D-Mom April 17, 2025 (7:33 am)

     We will provide lunch and snacks.” 😂

  • BB April 17, 2025 (8:43 am)

    … well at least do one thing: bring lots of donuts…

    • BlairJ April 17, 2025 (11:51 am)

      The quid pro quo would be appropriate, but I don’t think the cops would dare touch anything the participants brought in!

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