- Target:
- Federal and Provincial Governments
- Region:
- Canada
The public has a right to know that the police officers that serve them are in fact sober and drug free While performing thier duties.
Officers often drive at high speeds, use weapons, and make split second decisions that can result in death or injury yet they are not required to test for drugs and alcohol on a regular basis. In the interest of public saftey police officers should be tested randomly throughout the year. Furthermore they should be tested after any incident involving injury to themselves or others, or after any any motor vehicle accident involving a police officer.
Drug testing has become the norm in many companies. Pre screening and ongoing random checks are common.
Employers have the right to subject employees to drug testing either for pre-employment ,or at random if the employee operates equipment or machinery (ie: trucking). Swabs can be used to check work stations desks and key boards for traces of drugs
Pricacy and human rights advocates have fought and lost the legal battle in the Supreme Court. Testing employees for banned substance and alcohol is a legal violation of the Candian Charter that is allowed in the name of public saftey. Other examples of these rulings are RIDE programs and personal searches at concerts. Clear violations of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms , but allowed in the best interest of public saftey.
Police unions and associations have protected their members from these career ending tests for too many years. They have managed to do this because the law allows for the policy of testing but its not mandatory. The police unions will not agree to allow it.
In the interest of public safety I demand that a bill be presented to parliament that ensures all police officers in Canada be tested for drugs and alcohol at random once a month, and immediately after any incident or accident involving injury or damage to persons or vehicles.
This must be a law rather than an optional policy.
You can further help this campaign by sponsoring it
The Mandatory Drug Testing for Police Officers petition to Federal and Provincial Governments was written by Michael Ross and is in the category Government at GoPetition.