OFFICERS CAUGHT IN BLITZ ON DRUGS

ELEVEN police officers have tested positive to drugs while on duty in
a 12-month crackdown.

Two of the officers were discovered after mandatory testing, which is
given when someone is killed or seriously injured by police.

Figures obtained by The Sunday Telegraph reveal that nine of the
officers tested positive to cannabis.

Another two officers tested positive to serious illegal drugs. One was
caught having used cannabis, ecstasy and cocaine, while another had
been using cocaine, ecstasy and speed.

One officer, Senior Constable John Fotopolous, was sacked after
testing positive to cannabis after being involved in the White City
shootings.

Constable Fotopolous admitted having a "one-off puff" of cannabis at a
party three months before the shooting, over which police were
recently criticised by controversial magistrate Pat O'Shane.

Police Minister Paul Whelan vowed officers caught using drugs would
face full disciplinary action.

"There is no place in the NSW Police Service for drug users or drug
dealers," he said.

"The service does have a rehabilitation approach to people who have a
genuine problem with things like alcohol, but drugs have no place in
the police force."

The figures also show more than 1600 police were bashed in the line of
duty last financial year.

A further 33 were shot – a 65 per cent increase. Forty-three officers
were stabbed deliberately or accidentally by needles or syringes, and
146 were bitten by animals.

There was a 10 per cent increase in the number of assaults against
police in the 1998-99 financial year.

Mandatory drug and alcohol testing of police after certain incidents
was introduced in July last year. This followed evidence given to the
Wood royal commission about corrupt Bondi policeman Clinton Moller,
who regularly took drugs and associated with dealers.

Police Commissioner Peter Ryan also wants to introduce random drug
tests, a move which has been opposed by the police union.

Under mandatory testing rules, tests must be conducted on officers who
are involved in incidents where a person is killed in custody, or when
a person is killed or seriously injured as a result of a police car
chase or a police shooting.

Two out of 125 officers tested positive to drugs after mandatory
tests. None tested positive to alcohol.

Nine out of 27 officers subjected to targeted tests in six months had
taken drugs. Targeted tests are carried out when an officer is
suspected of taking drugs.