N.Y. Officers Will Be Tested for Drugs
All 26,790 New York City police officers will be subject to random drug testing, the police commissioner announced Tuesday.
“The goal of random testing is to have a drug-free environment,” Commissioner Benjamin Ward said in a statement. “I believe that this expanded drug testing program will further promote that environment and provide a deterrent to the use of illegal drugs.”
The new policy excludes civilian employees of the Police Department. The department now requires random drug tests only of officers in the Narcotics Division.
Under the new program, all officers’ Social Security numbers will be entered into a computer, which will select some at random for each test. Officers chosen will have 24 hours’ notice of the test.
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