A recent announcement from the City of Rock Valley is shining a spotlight on Officer Derek Dreise, who has earned back-to-back statewide honors for his work training officers to detect drug-impaired drivers.
Officer Derek Dreise (Dryce) was surprised at a recent department meeting when Iowa DRE State Coordinator Todd Olmstead, along with representatives from the Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau, presented him with the “Best Instructor” awards from recent Drug Recognition Expert Schools.
Dreise has served in law enforcement since 2013 and works full-time on the day shift for Rock Valley PD. He has become one of Iowa’s leading experts in drug-impairment detection, earning his Drug Recognition Expert certification in 2017 and instructor status in 2023.
He has since taught at three statewide DRE schools — fall 2024, spring 2025, and fall 2025 — programs that combine demanding academic coursework with field certifications involving real-world impaired subjects.
Along the way, Dreise has completed 158 drug-impairment evaluations and assisted 11 different agencies across the state of Iowa.
His role continues to expand. This fall, he stepped into a lead instructor assignment, and in late November, he was elected to the Iowa DRE Advisory Board, which helps guide statewide program decisions.
Dreise says he entered the DRE world after seeing a need in northwest Iowa for more officers trained to spot drug impairment.
He attributes his success to the support of the Rock Valley community and his fellow officers.
The featured photo is courtesy of the City of Rock Valley on Facebook.
