Police officers to be drug and alcohol tested after deal thrashed out with management

POLICE officers will be tested for drug and alcohol use at work within weeks after a deal was thrashed out with their management. What do you think — VOTE NOW

Police officers will be tested for drug and alcohol use at work within weeks after a deal was thrashed out with their management.

POLICE officers will be tested for drug and alcohol use at work within weeks after a deal was thrashed out with their management.

The tough new measures mean officers will be automatically tested when drug or alcohol use is suspected, or when members of the public and/or other police have been put in danger.

Police Association president Mark Carroll said officers had agreed to a draft “general order” giving the go-ahead to the plan, which has been almost 10 years in the making.

“The association supports all SAPOL employees being fit and able to undertake their duties and not being impaired by alcohol and/or any other drug while performing those duties,’’ he said.

The testing will not be random as in other states, but will be carried out when:

CRITICAL incidents, such as shootings, occur;

HIGH-RISK driving has been required, such as in a high-speed chase;

SUPERIORS suspect that an officer or cadet is under the influence of drugs or alcohol at work, and

OFFICERS apply for covert operations positions. Also, people applying to become police officers will be tested.

The implementation of the plan, and the 10-year delay, came to light when Family First MLC Robert Brokenshire asked for the results of testing so far carried out and found it would be implemented in the first half of this year.

Police Association president Mark Carroll said officers had agreed to a draft “general order” giving the go-ahead to the plan.

“This makes a lot of sense and is important for the community having confidence in the police for them to know they are doing these tests,’’ he said. “If it is good enough for the mining sector and train drivers, it is good enough for police officers,” he said.

Victims’ Rights Commissioner Michael O’Connell also welcomed the crackdown.

“Some drugs, including alcohol, can have a significant impact on behaviour such as heightened aggression,” he said.

“Police officers are not immune from such impact.

“Furthermore, workplace drug testing is necessary to counteract malicious allegations against police, but also to identify police with a drug-abuse problem. Like other drug users, police drug users should be offered rehabilitation.”

Mr Carroll defended the time it had taken to implement the plan, saying officers had agreed in 2007.

“The association entered into an agreement with SAPOL in 2007 to support the introduction of legislation to enable drug and alcohol testing in the workplace,’’ he said.

“Those negotiations were finalised by the passing of the Statutes Amendment (Police) Bill 2013 and an agreed position between SAPOL and the association on the Police Variation Regulations 2013. The Police Regulations 2014 came into effect in September 2014 and included amendments regarding drug and alcohol testing in the workplace.

“In January 2016, SAPOL provided a draft general order about drug and alcohol testing in the workplace in support of the legislative changes in 2014. The Police Association provided its view on the draft general order in early April 2016.’’

Tell us below: What do you think about this move?

Originally published as Police officers to be drug and alcohol tested after deal thrashed out with management