POLICE CHIEF CONSIDERING RANDOM DRUG TESTING OF KEY OFFICERS

Hamilton Police Chief Brian Mullan says he is considering following
Toronto's lead of introducing random drug testing for officers in senior
and high-risk positions.

While he and the police services board are still reviewing a judge's
recommendations that prompted Toronto Police Chief Julian Fantino's move to
introduce such tests to his ranks beginning in March, Chief Mullan said he
wants to know if one of his officers has a drug problem.

The Toronto Police Service also plans to implement psychological testing
and spot financial background checks for officers in high-risk jobs, and
faces a battle from its union - one a Hamilton police union rep says would
be repeated here.

Controversial Measures

The controversial measures are in response to 32 recommendations made last
year by Justice George Ferguson, hired by Toronto's chief to offer advice
on how to prevent corruption and maintain public confidence after a string
of police scandals involving allegations of theft, perjury, protection
payments and fabrication of evidence.

The judge's other prescriptions included better recruitment, training and
promotion practices, changes to the handling of informants, a snitch line
to report misconduct and protection for whistleblowers.

"Our police association is aware that we are considering all of those
recommendations, so stay tuned," said Chief Mullan, who wouldn't put any
timeline on action but expressed support for drug testing.

"I'm certainly not opposed to it, myself. Anybody could randomly drug test
me at any given time. I would not be averse to it in any shape or form. I'm
sure that the majority of police officers, if not all the police officers
in this service, would agree with that."

Chief Mullan said psychological testing is already used for new recruits
and those assigned to the emergency response tactical unit, and "could be a
useful tool" in high risk areas like the drug and vice squads.

But he said he's less certain about the value of random checks of officers'
personal finances.

"I'm not totally convinced that examining somebody's financial status is an
indicator that they're going to be corrupt," he said. "There are many
individuals within a community that are facing financial crises from time
to time and they never turn to unlawful behaviour.

"Certainly abuse of drugs such as cocaine is an indicator to me as a chief
and I want to know that."

But Hamilton Police Association administrator Doug Allan said it's
premature to consider following Toronto's path because the police union
there is vowing to challenge all three measures in court for violating
privacy rights.

He said his association's own legal opinions suggest random drug testing
won't survive such a challenge - a potential hurdle acknowledged by Justice
Ferguson's report.

Toronto plans to test for nine illegal drugs, including cocaine, heroine,
methadone, PCP, ecstacy and THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, as
well as the legal pain killer oxycodone.

High-risk jobs identified in the Toronto initiative include the chief,
senior officers and those working in drug, holdup, emergency, homicide and
professional standards squads.

"Certainly there has to be grounds for the test. You can't just invade a
person's privacy," Mr. Allan said. "And then what are the consequences?
It's a huge issue," he said.

"We'd be very hesitant to approve anything that didn't protect our members'
rights, in keeping with the laws of the land.

Mr. Allan said Justice Ferguson's report was commissioned to address a
perceived problem of police corruption in Toronto, one he doesn't believe
exists in Hamilton.

No other police force is pursuing the recommendations, making it prudent to
await the outcome of the Toronto legal challenges before taking action, he
said.

"There's got to be something to be said when all the other police services
in Canada are holding back," Mr. Allan said.

Union vows to fight 'huge' privacy-rights issue.