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Police officers nabbed in drug and alcohol tests
Article from: Herald Sun
Mark Buttler
February 26, 2009 12:00am
DRUG and alcohol testing of police has yielded its first two positive results.
Two senior-constables are off the beat, one after failing a drug test and the other for having alcohol in his system.
The officer who failed the drug test has been suspended on full pay and is awaiting a decision on his future.
A range of sanctions can apply to him, including dismissal.
Police said it could not reveal the substance for which that member had tested positive.
Illicit drugs including cannabis, cocaine and amphetamines can be detected.
Officers who test positive for drugs for which they do not have a prescription can also find themselves the subject of disciplinary action.
The officer who failed his alcohol test resigned almost immediately.
He was one of four officers asked to provide a sample because of concerns their unsatisfactory work performance was linked to alcohol abuse.
Acting Supt Spiros Kalliakmanis, who is managing the program, said 181 officers had been tested since legislation was passed in August last year.
All had been co-operative, Acting Supt Kalliakmanis said.
He said 158 of those were either the subject of target testing or were members of units involved in weapon use or special tactics.
The positive result came from this category.
Nineteen tests were made of police involved in "critical incidents" such as police shootings or pursuits where there had been a serious injury.
Testing is unannounced and done by outside specialists.
Acting Supt Kalliakmanis said counselling services had been used by many police. He said the force was happy to hear from officers so they could be helped before their problem affected their work or they turned in positive test results.
Almost all had sought help for alcohol issues but Acting Supt Kalliakmanis said he believed fewer police were now abusing alcohol.
"The culture has changed considerably. Historically, there's no issue with people knowing it was sometimes an alcohol-fuelled profession," he said.
Herald Sun