The Lachlan Local Area Command has recently installed Drager drug testing machines in both Parkes and Forbes Police Stations.

Chief Inspector David Cooper said the Command generally only carried out roadside drug tests when the drug bus containing an analysis machine was in town.

“General duty, and highway and traffic patrol officers can now carry out roadside drug tests across the Command,” Chief Inspector Cooper said.

Roadside drug tests work on the same principal as roadside alcohol testing.

“If the driver returns a positive tongue scrape result, they are placed under arrest and taken back to the station for further analysis by the Drager machine,” he said.

“They also are automatically suspended from driving for 24 hours.

“A swab of oral fluid is taken, and if that tests positive, the samples are sent away for further analysis.

“Depending on the analysis results, the driver is then charged accordingly.”

Drager drug testing machines are an easy to use mobile oral fluid drug testing system which test for commonly used illicit drugs.

The quick drug test provides police a non-invasive alternative to collecting urine or blood samples.