NSW POLICE TO BE DRUG TESTED

POLICE will be subject to random drug testing from September using hair and
urine, but not blood, samples, the NSW State Government said yesterday. But
the Government said it was considering introducing blood tests, which are
opposed by the Police Association, for officers involved in critical
incidents including shootings.

The move, which is expected to involve up to 600 random tests next year,
follows the release yesterday of the Police Integrity Commission's report
into the 1997 police shooting death of French photographer Roni Levi on
Bondi Beach.

The inquiry had examined drug use by police officers Rodney Podesta and
Tony Dilorenzo but the PIC revealed yesterday it found no evidence to
suggest either was affected by drugs or alcohol at the time.

Both Police Integrity Commissioner Paul Urquhart, QC, and Police
Commissioner Peter Ryan agreed the case highlighted the need for drug
testing of officers.

"If both officers had been drug tested after the incident there would be no
doubts as to whether they were affected by drugs or alcohol at the time,"
Judge Urquhart said.

When asked yesterday if he was satisfied the two officers had been
unaffected by drugs Mr Ryan said: "I can't be confident in anything. The
inquiry failed to ascertain either way.

"Had the officers been subject to tests we would have known one way or
another."

The PIC report, named Operation Saigon, recommended legislation allowing
blood samples to be taken for random as well as targeted testing as the
best method of assessing drug impairment.

Mr Ryan said he expected there would be between 500 and 600 random drug
tests next year but he held reservations about blood testing as a
"difficult and complex arrangement".

"But certainly for critical incidents and targeted testing there's an
opportunity there to use blood as well as hair and urine," he said.

Police Minister Paul Whelan said legislation was in place to start the
testing on September 1 using hair and urine samples but described blood
testing as costly and a "vexed issue".

"I think there's a very vexed issue about having random blood taken from
police officers just for the purposes of trying to prove something," Mr
Whelan said yesterday.

The Police Association said it supported the random drug-testing program
and mandatory drug testing after a critical incident like a shooting.

But President Ian Ball said it would oppose any blood testing of officers
as recommended by the PIC.