Bellflower : Council Takes Drug Tests
City Council members submitted specimens for urinalysis Monday night, the first Southeast area city council to undergo voluntary drug testing.
Council members, photographers and city officials crowded into a small room behind the council chambers while a laboratory manager from Bellflower Doctors Hospital distributed specimen containers.
The test checks for the presence of several drugs, including amphetamines, cocaine, barbiturates, marijuana, PCP and alcohol, according to lab manager Jon Bowler, who said that results would be ready within 24 hours but would remain confidential.
“This is just the first step in launching our drug testing program,” said Jack Simpson, city administrator. “Beyond this I don’t know what our next step will be. We will just be studying expanding our policy.”
Simpson said city staff is looking into expanding to current employees a city rule that requires prospective employees to be tested for drugs.
The idea was introduced by Councilman Mike Brassard a few days after President Reagan pledged in August that he and his Cabinet would undergo drug testing.
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