AUS - NSW Police officers face forced drug tests after Sgt Wes Bas allegedly returns

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NSW Police officers face forced drug tests after Sgt Wes Bas allegedly returns positive reading for ice

ALL NSW Police officers will be forced to submit to drug tests which deliver instant results and can lead to on-the-spot suspension, under tough new reforms being negotiated by top brass and the NSW government.

The plan, based on urine testing, would make the complex test regime faster and cheaper, allowing more officers to be tested more often - and sparking strong union resistance.

The Sunday Telegraph can reveal a high-profile officer has been charged with attempting to interfere with a drug test to hide his use of the drug 'ice' - methamphetamine - while on duty in the Professional Standards Unit, which administers drug tests.

Sergeant Wes Bas, 29 - formerly a protocol officer in Commissioner Andrew Scipione's inner sanctum - was suspended from duty for testing positive to drugs after allegedly trying to switch his sample with a condom full of another person's urine.

Investigators saw the alleged ruse and directed Bas to give his own sample, which allegedly showed amphetamines and 'ice'.

On top of his suspension Bas was charged with a criminal offence - interfering with a drug test. He faces Downing Centre Court on July 27.

It is believed the June 5 incident is the first positive 'ice' test since random testing began in 1997, but senior police insist the Bas incident did not prompt the drug-test plan. Police first proposed tougher testing late last year and briefed the government in March.

On Monday, the Police Ministry wrote to the Police Association about the plan.

Presently the testing regime involves random and targeted testing. Officers can elect a hair or urine test.

The proposed changes would eliminate the choice and mandate an "instant" urine test, which is cheaper. The union said it would likely oppose change on legal grounds but refused further comment. A spokeswoman for Police Minister Michael Gallacher said a consultation process was under way.

"The NSW Police Force has proposed to standardise drug testing procedures for NSW Police officers.

"(It) will allow one quick procedure in all cases.

"It is not proposed to amend the regulation before consultation is concluded." Sergeant Bas was "alleged to have provided a sample from another person", a police spokesman said.

"The officer then provided his own sample which is alleged to have tested positive to amphetamines and methamphetamine," he said.

Bas, who is a board member of the Aids Council of NSW and has served as a gay and lesbian liaison officer, previously worked in the Office of the Commissioner, where he attended and presided over ceremonial events.

In 2010 he stood at the federal election for the Senator Online party.

Last year two other senior officers were stood down after testing positive to cocaine.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/ne...-reading-for-ice/story-e6freuy9-1226420014702
 
I'm surprised that drug testing isn't carried out on all coppers around the world anyway.
If a policeman has the power to arrest somebody for drug use or possession etc then surely it's only right that the police can prove they themselves don't use drugs.
I don't know the rules for the UK police but I do think they should either have random drug tests or monthly drug tests carried out on them.
 
Yeah there's nothing worse than a hypocrite. They should be randomly tested as often as possible.
 
Police may face on-the-spot drug tests

The NSW government is being urged to pass legislative amendments that would allow police officers suspected of illicit drug use to be subject to on-the-spot testing.

ASSISTANT Commissioner Paul Carey, who is head of the Professional Standards Command, says instant urine testing already available for random drug tests should be cleared for use in targeted tests on officers who are already suspected of drug use.

"We seek a small change to the regulation - just a few words - which will allow us to do that," Mr Carey told reporters in Sydney on Sunday.

"The laboratory tests take between one and four days. The cup sample that we use at the moment gives us an immediate indication and we can stand that officer down and move on with other actions."

Mr Carey said the proposals, currently with Police Minister Mike Gallacher, were not related to the suspension in June of a senior officer in his own command.

In that case, a 29-year-old sergeant allegedly handed over a urine sample that was not his own before providing his own sample, which allegedly tested positive to amphetamines and the party drug ice.

"I think at the end of the day the system works," Mr Carey said.

"He's in my command, I had the drug and alcohol unit, he was subject to a random test."

Asked about reports that the police union intends to oppose the changes, Mr Carey said the Police Association was supportive of workplace drug testing.

"They may have a view about some changes to the legislation, but they are the same as us; they want a safe working place for their members and they want a safe place for the community," he said.

The legislative changes being considered were unlikely to increase the number of tests done, Mr Carey said.

Only 26 targeted tests were performed last financial year, of which five yielded positives, compared with about 4900 random tests with three positives.

http://www.news.com.au/breaking-new...-spot-drug-tests/story-e6frfku9-1226420300026
 
I Wonder how many people he sentened to prison for doing the same drugs as him...ridiculous.
 
Andrew Scipione to beef up drug-testing for police

POLICE Commissioner Andrew Scipione will be asked to beef up staff inside the force's drug-testing unit under a new plan to have half of all officers screened every year.

The push has come from the boss of Professional Standards Command, Paul Carey, who wants to increase the current goal of 5000 tests a year to 8000 to enforce a zero-tolerance message on drugs.

Strongly defending the integrity of police, Mr Carey said that only eight positive drug results were recorded out of 4837 tests in the last 12 months.

This included 216 mandatory tests conducted after critical incidents - such as police-involved in shootings, deaths in custody and car crashes - which all returned negative.

Assistant commissioner Carey told The Sunday Telegraph he was looking to increase the current goal.

"I've asked the alcohol and drug testing unit to prepare a business case about what the next step might be - how can we get to 7500 or 8000 tests,'' Mr Carey, who will be retiring in December, said.

"There are some things I want to tidy up before I go. In my mind we need to develop a business case to develop it over a period of time, I'd leave that to the next commander and that's a matter for other people to pursue, but that's what I want.''

Mr Carey said the proposal would include several options to meet the benchmark, including a bid for more staff, a realignment of current staff, or possibly updating the present testing regime.

He added that increasing the number of tests would probably see a rise in positive drug tests. Two years ago, 3100 tests were performed with two positive results recorded _ that increased to eight when the number of tests was boosted to 5000.

"I would expect, based on those results, we would see a slight increase again ... if we do more tests,'' Mr Carey said.

Last week,The Sunday Telegraph revealed that police were seeking a legislative change to apply a quick and simple urine test, which gives an instant result, to all officers who undergo drug screening.

"The indication is change will go through, it's literally taking four words out of the legislation,'' Mr Carey said.

Charged officer was promoted despite armed stand-off

A POLICEMAN who allegedly tested positive to "ice'' received a promotion despite being involved in a tense stand-off.

Sergeant Wes Bas, 29, was charged following a random drug test last month - he was allegedly caught with a condom full of another person's urine and later tested positive for amphetamine and methampetamine.

The Sunday Telegraph can reveal Bas was involved a stand-off with his commander during a 2006 stint with the Commuter Crime Unit.

According to a witness, the incident was over a trivial issue, however Bas locked himself in a bathroom and refused to come out. The area was cordoned off and a chaplain called because he would not hand over his pistol.

The matter was resolved before it escalated any further.

Despite the episode, Bas was medically cleared and later became a protocol officer with the office of the Commissioner.

Bas is suspended pending the outcome of the court matter.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/all-cops-face-drug-test/story-e6freuy9-1226426096015
 
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