Cops Fighting Mandatory Drug Tests – Claim it’s ‘Unconstitutional’ to Screen Police Urine

I believe everyone working in government and that includes police offices should all be drug tested periodically.

These people are not above the laws!

What is good for us, is good for them.

I want to be special, I don't want a drug test, I might lose my job, or people might find out I am corrupt. Too Bad!

originally posted by: intrepid

originally posted by: Bone75

originally posted by: intrepid
I work in this industry and understand this well. There's levels to this. It can be used by management to potentially remove certain people. Thus the Union involvement. Ask them to test management as well as workers and I think you might find some resistance there.

It's a nasty industry.

If those certain people are under the influence of mind altering drugs while on duty, then they should be removed.

What about when not on duty? There are lingering tests. That's why I'm saying it doesn't happen because management would be as culpable. That said I'm in Canada and I'm talking about weed. Other intoxicants I have NO idea about.

Well, until Trudeau officially legalizes it any officer with that or anything else in their system is breaking the law. And while I don't personally care, and I personally would look the other way, I know there are a lot of career criminals cops that wouldn't. And there is nothing I hate more than hypocrisy in authority.

However, that being said I don't really agree with laws telling people what they can and can't put in their body, so I have mixed feelings on the matter. Not to be a hypocrite myself. I think history is going to look at this period in our society and its going to be looked at as a very, very dark time.

We went from medical use of chemicals for 5-10,000 years, and suddenly things modernized and shotrly after chemicals were used by governments in trade wars (Opium Wars) and then administering to their military for performance (steroids and stimulants in WWI & WWII, and pilots for a long while after) the industry was bastardized into the tentacles of a killer octopus of rules & regulations, suddenly for profit corporations would be encouraging chemical use through doctors, while legal definitions would create an entirely new industry out of crime & punishment centred around newly criminalized chemicals (the very same governments had been using on their own people and enemy states in the same century and a century prior), and people say by for a hundred years now, against any kind of scientific study, reasonable or rational thought, which if it had been called upon, these policies would have been nullified simply for the impact they have on social welfare, which is entirely ignored, or simply blamed on symptom rather than the cause (prohibition).

According to the contract, tests are only allowed under three circumstances: If an officer is suspected of being under the influence while on the job, fires a weapon or is involved in a vehicle crash.

I see this is a Pittsburgh issue. Do they have mandatory drug testing for officers in other cities and states such as "New Joisey"?

NJ State Trooper "I'm Not Drunk" (DashCam)

@ 6:43 mark the responding officer calls the accident in to dispatch and states:

"He hits her from behind, he gets out of the car, his shirt is inside out, she says.... *pause*.... His shirt was INSIDE OUT, like he took his shirt... and put it inside out... *pause*... the shirt was inside out, so she asked 'Are you a trooper or are you a cop?' He said 'YeeAh' goes and takes his shirt off and...a bottle cap falls out... *pause*...and he's a little...*pause*...UGH! So, we are, uhm... yeah...Imma wait to see when Sarg gets here."



You can't make this sth up, man!

a reply to: infolurker

The law is alleged to be an instrument of justice, a mechanism by which it is achieved. In order to be a part of the justice system, it is necessary that its cogs and gears, its levers and pins, the fabric of that system is not just seen to be lawful and just in its affairs, but that it IS lawful and just in its affairs.

Being permitted to carry a gun and drive fast in defence of the law, justice, and the public, should be a noble calling, and one which ought to come with a reputation both shared amongst law enforcement officers, and individually, for being wholesome, decent individuals motivated ONLY by a desire to see the innocent protected, and the guilty bought to book. If other motivations are found, particularly ones involving excessive use of alcohol (which is an impediment to motor function, reaction time, mood management) or any use of prohibited narcotics (with the same issues, or worse being attendant to that use, not to mention the vast hypocrisy of the thing) then officers having those motivations should not have their jobs.

Addiction is something which affects a great many people all over the United States, and in a wider context, the population of the world. However, in a nation which has any respect what so ever for its own laws, or for the concept of justice, which those laws are supposed to administrate and advocate on behalf of, one cannot justify having addicts on a force, having users of prohibited narcotics on its police force, having people who break the law and violate the ideal of justice, wearing a badge and laying the law down everywhere but at their own door.

Simply put, a person who lives an unjust life, cannot enforce justice on the streets, cannot be allowed to be responsible for catching criminals and arresting them, cannot be left in charge of evidence, must not be permitted to carry a badge of office. Police officers, owing to their station in life, should be held to a higher, and most rigid account, never once knowingly violating the law as long as they carry the badge.

People say that there cannot be one rule for one set of individuals, and one rule for another. I say that this is not always true. It should be the case that the law treats the elements of the machinery which keep it running, MUCH more harshly when they are found in violation, because when a police officer, judge, prosecutor, detective, police chief, sheriff or other individual involved in the law, breaks it, they cheapen the effort of every single part of that most vital machinery.

Justice, I have heard it said, can never be perfect in a world run by humans, because humans themselves are not perfect. That is true in my estimation. However, unless measures are taken to ensure that those who are tasked with enforcing the law in pursuit of justice, are held to a higher standard of conduct than those they seek to serve, not to mention those they may seek to arrest, there will always be the risk that far from being perfect, justice will become, or remain, a sham.

a reply to: infolurkerWhen this type of upheaval starts to happen within the rank and file of a police department. The first thing I think is there is something dirty to hide. If military personal have to take drug test to prove they are clean. Then I would suggest that all first responder could no less.

This is rich. You would think this would be standard at all police departments already?

Who do we contact to voice support for this? I want to write a letter or sign a petition or something. There should be mandatory drug testing for all law enforcement officers everywhere, not just in Pittsburgh.

a reply to: infolurker

As much as my misery that I have to take drug tests is telling me to be outraged and yell at these police officers to just pee in the cup, I agree with their grievance. I really DO believe that drug tests should be unconstitutional and are a grave violation of our right to privacy.

a reply to: intrepid

What about when not on duty? There are lingering tests.

Illegal is illegal, right? Does it matter when they did it? If M is forbidden in my state and I test positive, will they let me go just because I don't have it in my hand? Or will they use that as evidence against me in court?

Oh, gee. Looky here -

[ emphasis mine ]

Pennsylvania Drugged Driving
In Pennsylvania, a person is guilty of DUI if he or she drives (1) WITH ANY AMOUNT of a Schedule I controlled substance under the Controlled Substance Act in his or her blood,* (2) with a metabolite of a schedule I substance in his or her blood,* (3) under the influence of a drug or combination of drugs to a degree which impairs his or her ability to safely drive, OR (4) under the combined influence of alcohol and a drug or combination of drugs to a degree which impairs the individual's ability to safely drive. 75 Pa. C.S.A. §§ 3802(d)(1)-(3) (West 2010).

Start at the top and test them all

I'm guessing cops drive?

Any person who drives in Pennsylvania shall be deemed to have given consent to chemical tests of breath, blood or urine for the purpose of the presence of a controlled substance. Id. § 1547(a)

And this should knock the legs from under their legal argument :

The right to speak with an attorney before deciding whether to submit to chemical tests is not a guaranteed constitutional right. Herbert v. Com.,460 A.2d 920(1983)

If it's good enough for us..................

a reply to: Involutionist

How have I not seen this!

Best part at the very end of the video, two lines.

"Yah, you might have to" followed by
"She has made phone calls"

I genuinely felt for the arriving officer. He seemed to really feel bad that any civi would be in cuffs already. This video was interesting for so many reasons.

I have to be drug tested just to see a doctor.
Ive had to pee in a cup to apply for jobs before.
If they can't do it too then they need to find another profession - like dealing drugs perhaps.

originally posted by: Asktheanimals
I have to be drug tested just to see a doctor.

That's terrible.

What is wrong with our nation?

a reply to: infolurker
Havent read all the responces but, Cops should be drug tested above all, They have the exposure to obtain the drugs when they want, just shake down a dealer. I remember back in the 80s the saying was "cops have the best drugs" and yes include steroids. I have to pass a drug test if I get injured at the job at work and had to pass one to get my job as a Machine repairman.

Well isn't that rich.

What's the matter. Got something to hide?

I wonder how our resident LEO, ATS, mods and members feel about being tested for drugs.

Steroids causes terrible emotional, violent behavior.

www.drugabuse.gov...

originally posted by: olaru12
I wonder how our resident LEO, ATS, mods and members feel about being tested for drugs.

Steroids causes terrible emotional, violent behavior.

www.drugabuse.gov...

Im not sure hormones are "drugs".

a reply to: bigfatfurrytexan

www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov...

Laws and penalties for anabolic steroid abuse

The Anabolic Steroids Control Act of 1990 placed anabolic steroids into Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) as of February 27, 1991. Under this legislation, anabolic steroids are defined as any drug or hormonal substance chemically and pharmacologically related to testosterone (other than estrogens, progestins, and corticosteroids) that promotes muscle growth.

The possession or sale of anabolic steroids without a valid prescription is illegal. Simple possession of illicitly obtained anabolic steroids carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a minimum $1,000 fine if this is an individual’s first drug offense. The maximum penalty for trafficking is five years in prison and a fine of $250,000 if this is the individual’s first felony drug offense. If this is the second felony drug offense, the maximum period of imprisonment and the maximum fine both double. While the above listed penalties are for federal offenses, individual states have also implemented fines and penalties for illegal use of anabolic steroids. State executive offices have also recognized the seriousness of steroid abuse and other drugs of abuse in schools. For example, The State of Virginia enacted a new law that will allow student drug testing as a legitimate school drug prevention program. Some other states and individual school districts are considering implementing similar measures.

Some are.....some slide under the wire.

Yea right, My 100 no notice drug tests in the military for over 28 years says that if you work for the government you all need to get tested. Its my tax dollars paying their wage so suck it if they do not like it. I didn't like being told to go to the hospital to have some guy watch me pee in a cup but it was something I expected to be done.

originally posted by: bigfatfurrytexan

Its wrong for everyone.

What an employee does in their off time is their business.

Well I guess it stops affecting them once they are on the clock right? It seems it is OK for people who defend the law to break it as they see fit, and I personally have issues with that. If a cop busts some guy for using pot then hits the bong on the weekend is so wrong in my book. I have multiple clearances and average three physicals per year mandated to keep my job and blood/piss is always taken and tested and I'm not defending the law as cops do. lol I also have issues with cops illegality using steroids and it is easy to see how that can influence their work in a real negative way. For people who want to illegally use drugs there are jobs for them like 7/11 and other find working places, but if you want to work in a upper level job there isn't much room to being high.

BTW they can regulate the levels on a positive test, so in defense of weekend bakers, snorters, pill poppers etc they can have the test trigger for levels that could only be that high if the person did it very recently, but I think we all know that only weekend users is a very small group of users.

originally posted by: olaru12

Some are.....some slide under the wire.

Anabolic Steroids is not something that is normally tested and typically would only be done following some incidence of violence with the typical physical appearance, so it would be a special request outside of the common tests for THC, Opiates, PCP, Cocaine, and Amphetamines.

a reply to: olaru12

i know what they have classified them.

Our government has never been good about understanding that which they write laws for.

ETA: our local PD has had a few rounds of steroid clean up. Im not a fan, myself.