Roadside Drug Testing

Freedom of Information (FOI) Act request ref: 01/FOI/25/008888/V

Version Date: 13/01/2026

The Alliance Operations Department, the Custody Department, and the Performance & Analysis Department have provided the following information:

Please note: Data prior to 2020 is not available.

For each of the calendar years 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024, please provide:
1.           The total number of roadside drug tests conducted.

2. Of those roadside tests, how many returned a positive result for cannabis.

3. Of those roadside tests, how many returned a positive result for cocaine.

4. The total number of individuals screened at the police station (following arrest/attendance) for drug use.
5. Of those station-based screenings, how many tested positive for each of the following substances:
   o Ecstasy (MDMA)
   o             Ketamine
   o             LSD
   o             Heroin

Clarification: in questions 4 and 5 I am referring to roadside related offences where the individual is then screened at the police station following arrest.

Information not held for Questions 4 and 5.

Devon and Cornwall Police did pilot a Drug Test on Arrest Scheme (DTOA) where persons with a home address falling under Cornwall and Torbay drug and alcohol services were tested at the police station following arrest. This process focused on individuals that committed trigger offences as defined in law, mainly acquisitive crime and drug related offences. 201 tests were completed across 2024 and 2025, with the majority focusing on trigger offenes whilst three of the 201 tests were for drug driving offences. All the tests were positive, 1 for opiates and two for cocaine. This scheme has ended.