NCJ Number
118688
Journal
Law and Order Volume: 37 Issue: 6 Dated: (June 1989) Pages: 75-78
Date Published
1989
Length
4 pages
Annotation
In a national survey of police departments, 31 percent of respondents said they believe drug abuse is a serious problem among police officers.
Abstract
Of the respondents, 85 percent indicated police officers should be tested for drugs, and 53 percent said police officers support drug testing programs. Despite such support for drug testing, legal and technical problems exist that dissuade some police departments from drug testing. An example of legal barriers is the Detroit Police Department. In June 1988, a Federal judge banned drug testing of Detroit police officers, ruling that the city had neglected to prove the existence of a widespread drug problem in the police department. In a New Jersey city, however, a Federal court determined that random and universal drug testing of police officers is permissible under the administrative search exception of the Fourth Amendment. The diversity of legal opinions explains why many police departments say court decisions on drug testing have affected their drug testing policies. A model program exists in Charleston, S.C., where the police department tests all applicants for departmental positions. Minneapolis represents another example of a police department with a clearly defined drug testing policy; drug testing is only done as part of the employment application process and for reasonable suspicion. Other cities have similar drug testing programs that have been legally acceptable and successful.