Pubdate: Tue, 19 Dec 2006
Source: Mississippi Press, The (MS)
Copyright: 2006 Mississippi Press
Contact:  http://www.gulflive.com/mississippipress/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2254

OFFICERS SHOULD FACE RANDOM DRUG TESTING

Police officers should be subjected to random drug testing.

The recent arrest of a Moss Point police officer is an  indication of 
how critical such a simple procedure such  as frequent and random 
drug tests may be for public  safety.

Police officers are not immune from the ills of life,  such as 
substance abuse. Law enforcement officers are  in a unique position 
because they are entrusted to  carry weapons in the course of their 
work. Police  officers and deputies also are called upon to make life 
and death decisions from the use of a weapon to even  how a vehicle 
is driven. The public ought to be assured  all reasonable safeguards 
are taken to make sure the  person given such authority is not 
impaired by substance abuse. Testing would be a reasonable  safeguard.

The Moss Point officer had served two years on the  department's 
force. She has not been convicted but the  case made against her is 
startling. She was caught in  an FBI sting that eventually accused 
her of possessing  methamphetamine on duty.

Police Chief Demetrius Drakeford has said the Moss  Point department 
requires applicants to take a drug  test, but the process ends there. 
Moss Point police,  along with other law enforcement agencies should 
adopt  frequent and random drug testing of existing officers. 
Organizations that do this type of testing design the  process so it 
is tamper-proof and eventually every  staff member is tested, but no 
one knows when it is  their turn. The organizations also require 
testing if  substance abuse is suspected. An effective drug testing 
program could root out problems and even act as  deterrent.

It's sad to think drug-testing law enforcement officers  is necessary 
but it is. Most officers act with the  utmost regard for the public 
and the law, but the old  saying about it only take a few bad apples 
is true.  With a little extra care, the bad apples can be kept  out.
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MAP posted-by: Elaine