BECKLEY COMMON COUNCIL APPROVES POLICE DRUG TESTING

Beckley Police Officers Will Now Be Subject To Random Drug Testing,
Even After They Are Hired.

Beckley Common Council unanimously approved the new drug testing
policy for the police department during Tuesday night's meeting. The
policy will go into effect as soon as Police Chief Tim Deems
distributes the policy to employees, which he said would be done immediately.

Deems said only new hires underwent drug testing in the past. Now,
all officers, regardless of their tenure, will be randomly selected
for testing. Civilian employees working in "sensitive" positions at
the police department, namely the detective bureau and narcotics
unit, can also be tested.

The new policy also states that supervisors who have "reasonable
suspicion" an employee is using illegal drugs can request that
employee be tested.

Deems said there has been no problem with employee drug use, but
sometimes, police officers are accused by citizens. This, he
believes, will increase officers' credibility with citizens.

"This adds to our professionalism as a department and credibility
within the community," he said.

Deems said he would recommend any officer found to be using illegal
drugs be terminated. However, civil service procedures must be
followed. Officers will be guaranteed due process if a test comes
back positive, and they will possibly be placed on paid
administrative leave until an investigation is complete.

In other matters, council members voted to table the Raleigh County
Board of Education's request for a special permit to construct a
parking lot on Valley View Drive. Nearby residents spoke at the
meeting, concerned the parking lot would be a magnet for high
traffic, noise and crime. Mayor Emmett Pugh suggested council members
gather at the site and listen to both the school board's and
neighbors' concerns.