OFFICERS SHOULD FACE RANDOM DRUG TESTING

Police officers should be subjected to random drug testing.

The recent arrest of a Moss Point police officer is an indication of
how critical such a simple procedure such as frequent and random
drug tests may be for public safety.

Police officers are not immune from the ills of life, such as
substance abuse. Law enforcement officers are in a unique position
because they are entrusted to carry weapons in the course of their
work. Police officers and deputies also are called upon to make life
and death decisions from the use of a weapon to even how a vehicle
is driven. The public ought to be assured all reasonable safeguards
are taken to make sure the person given such authority is not
impaired by substance abuse. Testing would be a reasonable safeguard.

The Moss Point officer had served two years on the department's
force. She has not been convicted but the case made against her is
startling. She was caught in an FBI sting that eventually accused
her of possessing methamphetamine on duty.

Police Chief Demetrius Drakeford has said the Moss Point department
requires applicants to take a drug test, but the process ends there.
Moss Point police, along with other law enforcement agencies should
adopt frequent and random drug testing of existing officers.
Organizations that do this type of testing design the process so it
is tamper-proof and eventually every staff member is tested, but no
one knows when it is their turn. The organizations also require
testing if substance abuse is suspected. An effective drug testing
program could root out problems and even act as deterrent.

It's sad to think drug-testing law enforcement officers is necessary
but it is. Most officers act with the utmost regard for the public
and the law, but the old saying about it only take a few bad apples
is true. With a little extra care, the bad apples can be kept out.