cannabisnews.com: Police Drug Testing Results in Suspension of Five 





Police Drug Testing Results in Suspension of Five 
Posted by FoM on March 12, 1999 at 15:14:33 PT

Five Boston police officers have been stripped of their badges and suspended after testing positive for illegal drugs under the department's controversial new screening program.
In August, after a prolonged contract battle with the Boston Police Patrolmen's Association, the department won the right to test police officers once a year.The practice began Jan. 4, and about 350 officers have been tested so far, said Sergeant Detective Margot Hill, a Police Department spokeswoman. The officers who failed represent only 2 percent of those tested, she added.''Obviously there is need for drug testing, even if it's only a slight need,'' Hill said. Two of the suspended officers worked at police headquarters on Tremont Street and two others in the Mattapan and Dorchester districts. A fifth officer was suspended last night, but Hill declined to say where the officer was assigned. The department would not name the officers, but said all were male. The officers ranged in age from their 20s to 50s and tested positive in hair analysis for a range of drugs: heroin, cocaine, and marijuana.According to department policy, testing takes place on or near an officer's birthday. Those who test positive for drugs lose their service weapons and badges for 45 days and are required to attend drug rehabilitation classes for three months.After rehabilitation is completed, the officers can be reassigned to their former positions, but they must undergo ''intensive random testing,'' Hill said.Across the nation, police and fire officials have raised questions about the possibility of false positives in drug testing.Hill said she believed three officers voluntarily paid for a second analysis, which is allowed under department policy, while a fourth officer accepted his suspension. ''I am quite surprised by the news,'' said police association president Thomas J. Nee. ''Right now we haven't been able to confirm the reports so it's best not to comment.''Boston Police Commissioner Paul F. Evans has made drug testing a priority, vowing swift punishment and treatment of officers caught using drugs.''Like any large corporation, we have problems,'' Hill said. ''But it's the way you handle the problem that makes the difference.''http://www.boston.com/Boston Globe © Copyright 1999 Globe Newspaper Company. 
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Comment #3 posted by Catrina on September 06, 2000 at 06:37:42 PT
on behalf of the police officers and comment #1
Give the cops a break.like you never experimented with drugs. if not good for you. most peope use drugs as a means to filter emotion. no that's not an excuse, but we expect too much from police officers. first we expect them to be superhuman to deal with our problems. they see death and destruction everyday. that's why they are on a high horse, then when the "pigs" suppress their emotions people like you accuse them of being full of themselves. i really want to know what you do for a living. are you out their everyday risking your life for people who don't appreciate you. i doubt it. i'm very touchy with this because i want to be a homicide detective and i know i've done things i'm not proud of and if you didn't know drugs stay perminate in your hair.I don't see how what i did and what they did that could have been done 10 years ago should keep us from protecting stupid people like you.
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Comment #2 posted by jeff on April 22, 2000 at 15:44:34 PT
boston cops
I work in the drug treatment field and I see all socio-economic and professional people struggle with drug use and abuse. I'm never happy to see someone loose their job over drug use....is it justice that these police officers lost their jobs to drug use? No. It's sad.
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Comment #1 posted by Corinne Hanson on April 12, 1999 at 13:37:32 PT
good!!!!!!!!! finally some justice...
to quote Cypress Hill, "Bull# *^!! Like cops never sniff cocain!" all i have to say is that it's been happenenig for years, i'm glad that someone finally pulled those self righteous jerks off their high horses... some are good, but i have a feeling that most pigs are not.... "It's all about breakin off sausage, do you feel sorry for the poor little swine?"
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