DEWVA - PSNI CPD Day

On Monday 7th April 2025, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) held its Continued Professional Development day, attended by Drug Expert Witnesses from across Northern Ireland.

The day featured contributions from two professional bodies.

In the morning, three Senior Public Prosecutors from the Public Prosecution Service, who oversee the most serious drug offences in Northern Ireland, provided their insights. Their presentation covered topics such as the specific circumstances under which they request a Drug Expert Witness (DEW) report, their objectives in making these requests, and the strengths of the reports currently produced by DEWs, along with suggestions for improvement. This was followed by an extensive, yet positive, Q&A session between the Prosecutors and the DEWs present.

In the afternoon, a Principal Pharmaceutical Officer from the Medicines Regulatory Group within the Department of Health delivered a presentation. The Group is responsible for regulating controlled drugs within the healthcare environment and collaborates closely with the PSNI. The Officer's presentation focused on pharmacological knowledge, explaining how drugs interact with the body, particularly the effects of popular drugs in the Northern Ireland market, such as benzodiazepines, 'z drugs', and gabapentinoids. The discussion also included opioids and nitazenes.

The event was organised by the PSNI DEWVA committee representative and funded by DEWVA, demonstrating its commitment to the ongoing development of expert witnesses within its association.