The Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor Program Excels in Colorado.

• Author: Knudsen, Jennifer

THE TRAFFIC SAFETY RESOURCE PROSECUTOR (TSRP) Program has been in existence for more than 20 years. The program was originally created with funding from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and distributed through a state's Department of Transportation's Office of Traffic Safety. The TSRP is generally a former prosecutor with an extensive background in traffic crimes prosecution with a focus on impaired driving. While no state is required to have a TSRP, almost every state in the union has at least one.

In Colorado, the TSRPs are employees of the Colorado District Attorneys' Council (CDAC), a semi-governmental organization composed of the 22 elected district attorneys in the state. However, a TSRP is not required to be an employee of such an organization. In New Mexico, the TSRPs are prosecutors within the state's Attorney General's office, whereas in Nevada, the current TSRP is a prosecutor in the local district attorney's office that serves the county that includes Reno. The home agency of a TSRP may affect the balance of activities that the TSRP does, but a TSRPs duties fall into four broad categories: training, assistance, prosecution and outreach.

TRAINING

A TSRP conducts trainings for prosecutors, law enforcement officers, other traffic safety professionals, and members of the community. Since impaired driving is a serious problem, and while alcohol has historically been (and continues to be) the most commonly abused substance in this regard, the trend of marijuana commercialization and prescription drug abuse have given rise to new challenges. In Colorado, the TSRPs work with the Colorado State Patrol and have taught classes as part of CSP's mandatory annual in-service training for all troopers. These trainings are offered weekly, and over the course of the year, each state trooper will attend one. Recent topics have included legal updates, as well as more practical topics such as how to improve courtroom testimony. Similarly, Colorado's TSRPs have taught update trainings offered several times a year that officers accredited to administer the Standard Field Sobriety Tests and officers who are Drug Recognition Experts are required to undergo biannually to maintain their certifications.

Additionally, Colorado's TSRPs provide training to prosecutors throughout the state. For example, CDAC offers the week-long "Trial Techniques" course three times per year to teach new prosecutors the tools of their trade. Since DUI...