Oxford Police Complete ARIDE Training to Strengthen DUI Enforcement

Oxford Police Department officers sharpened their ability to identify drug-impaired drivers after completing an Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE) course delivered by the Mississippi Training for Impaired Driving Enforcement (MSTIDE) program.

The two-day class ran July 8 and 9 at the Oxford Police Department Training Room on 9 Industrial Park Drive, with sessions from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. The training carried 16 continuing education unit hours at no cost to officers, supported through grant funding from the Mississippi Office of Highway Safety.

ARIDE builds directly on the Standardized Field Sobriety Test (SFST) certification that officers must already hold to enroll. According to MSTIDE, the course "expands on the training an officer already received in the Standardized Field Sobriety (SFST) Class to help the officer determine if a driver is under the influence of drugs or other substances." That distinction carries real weight on Lafayette County roads: standard field sobriety testing was developed primarily around alcohol impairment, while ARIDE equips officers to recognize signs of impairment from a broader range of substances.

The first day also included an SFST recertification session beginning at 3 p.m., allowing already-certified officers to renew their credentials at the same location without additional travel.

Oxford Police Department acknowledged the completed training on its social media accounts, writing: "Thank you to the Mississippi Training for Impaired Driving Enforcement (MSTIDE) program for providing hands-on training to our officers and law enforcement." The department described the effort as aimed at boosting DUI enforcement and enhancing road safety across Mississippi.

The MSTIDE program is co-anchored at the Oxford Police Department, which serves as a host and registration point for Lafayette County and surrounding areas. Officers seeking future training can reach the program at MississippiTIDE@OxfordPolice.net or through its Facebook page at @MississippiTIDE.