Poll: Should Police Involved In Shootings & Other Fatalities Be Independently Drug Tested?

[Segami]

Last edited Thu Jul 23, 2015, 06:25 PM - Edit history (1)

What do you think about the idea of drug testing police who use their service weapons in officer-involved shootings and other fatalities?

After all, how many times are citizens held to rigorous, if not completely invasive measures to test for substances, especially while targeted during the so-called War on Drugs. Someone need not show any signs of illicit drug use in order to have all rights waived out the window. They may go to prison for defending their home from what they think is a middle-of-the-night invasion - while no drugs were ever present. Seeing as police killed more Americans in 2014 than all U.S. mass shootings combined, getting to the bottom of the problem and increasing accountability are more important than ever. Drug testing police involved in shootings is an argument up for debate in the state of North Carolina - at least it is currently up for scrutiny and speculation. An investigation conducted in part by Greensboro's News & Record found that it is incredibly rare for a North Carolina officer to have a drug test after an officer involved shooting - even the fatal ones.

http://www.activistpost.com/2015/07/should-drug-and-alcohol-tests-be.html

First, reports hit the web that she ingested a "large" amount of marijuana in her system. A very tightly controlled narrative is being crafted by the Texas county where she was arrested. And for some reason, one of their local judges is releasing information to the media directly in an attempt to influence the case. It reminds one of the Ferguson city officials that continually leaked info on Mike Brown's alleged crimes/character traits in order to sway public opinion.

Since there is no scientific link between adults over 25 using marijuana and suicide, any more than, say, alcohol use....it's clear why this local judge is trying to influence the case. Set the narrative. Given all the attention given here and elsewhere to the fact that the sheriff of Waller County was already fired for racism, it's hard to believe this crafted narrative being pushed by local officials of a corrupt precinct.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/07/23/1405106/-Sandra-Bland-being-smeared-by-police-for-alleged-Marijuana-use

The Daily Kos recovered old Chronicle reports on Thursday showing that in 2007, R. Glenn Smith, then police chief of Hempstead, was suspended for two weeks by the Hempstead City Council after they "[viewed] videotapes and [heard] allegations of racism from local residents against him and ... four [other] officers." Hempstead was 50% black and 43% white at the time. Smith was then required to undergo anger management classes for the next six months as a condition of his probationary period. He was fired the following year.

http://mic.com/articles/122418/r-glenn-smith-sandra-bland-death

12 votes, 0 passes | Time left: Unlimited
	Absolutely Yes.
	12 (100%)
	Absolutely No.
	0 (0%)
	In Most cases
	0 (0%)
	Rarely, in some cases
	0 (0%)
	Test Not Pertinent
	0 (0%)
	No Opinion
	0 (0%)
	0 DU members did not wish to select any of the options provided.
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[Scuba]

1. Yes, especially for steriods.

[Kingofalldems]

2. Absolutely.

[Segami]

7. I would think...

such tests would be very pertinent to a case involving death. They seem to think marijuana use can drive someone to suicide...

So, if a law enforcement officer is a racist who has displayed anger management problems, would it be pertinent information to know their blood test results following a fatality?

As for steroids:

"....However, long-term steroid use can affect some of the same brain pathways and chemicals—including dopamine, serotonin, and opioid systems—that are affected by other drugs, and thereby may have a significant impact on mood and behavior.

Abuse of anabolic steroids may lead to aggression and other psychiatric problems, for example. Although many users report feeling good about themselves while on steroids, extreme mood swings can also occur, including manic-like symptoms and anger (“roid rage”) that may lead to violence. Researchers have also observed that users may suffer from paranoid jealousy, extreme irritability, delusions, and impaired judgment stemming from feelings of invincibility...."

http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/anabolic-steroids

[hunter]

11. Yep.

I won't trust cops anymore than I'd trust bicycle racers, track stars, weight lifters, or U.S.A. football players.

[HooptieWagon]

12. +1000

[Ino]

3. Drug test them routinely...

as a matter of course. For steroids as well.

[Hoyt]

5. +1

[sendero]

9. Like 2/3rds of the population..

... who have jobs that are not nearly as likely to be affected by drug use as the cop's.

[Rex]

4. I would apply that to everyone in Congress as well. They must be doing some hardcore drugs

to fuck up America this bad and yet play it off like nothing is happening.

[mythology]

6. Yes, I also think they should undergo on-going psychological evaluation

both before and after a shooting. Before to see if somebody is building up too much stress and afterward to make sure they are dealing with the repercussions correctly (obviously that is in the case of the shooting being justified).

[udbcrzy2]

17. That just reminded me of something

Didn't Zimmerman fail the testing to become a police officer? Not that he could have guessed the correct answers or cheated.

[NightWatcher]

8. They should test them every time they are involved in anything

Car wreck, shooting, use of force....

They should be looking for roads, drugs, alcohol....

[TeddyR]

10. Sure

As long as we are going to test everyone else on the job.

[HooptieWagon]

13. Not many jobs authorize use of a firearm.

[Segami]

14. Exactly,...and some jobs have no firearms....

You don't see too many public objections for airline pilots to be regularly drug tested along with psychological evaluations.

[HooptieWagon]

15. Yes.

[udbcrzy2]

16. They make other workers get tested

When there is an accident or incident at normal jobs, we have to go get tested immediately. They should also. I'm not sure what the policies are for different police stations. I know even if you have a car accident, you will get a breathalyzer in Missouri if you're a driver. Now, that wouldn't show anything except for alcohol over the limit.