Police Officers on Meth

I am not the type of person to say that all cops are bad, in fact more are good than bad but there is no doubt of seeing a new trend happening with police abusing drugs and violence.

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The arrest of a Bakersfield police officer suspected of using methamphetamine last week has stirred up questions about how law enforcement police their own for possible drug use.

Ofelio Lopez, 36, was arrested on drug charges Dec. 2 after police said they found meth in the pocket of the uniform pants he was wearing.

Question: why doesn't the police department randomly test officers for drugs.

Detective Todd Dickson, president of the Bakersfield Police Officers Association, said Bakersfield officers or the union are not against random drug testing, but the idea has not come up in the time he's worked for the BPD, since 1995.

No changes to the police department's drug testing policy are in the works.

BPD spokeswoman Sgt. Mary DeGeare said the department follows the guidelines set out in a California government code pertaining to public safety officers and the provisions of the MOU between the local association and the city.

"There aren't any immediate plans to make any changes," DeGeare said.

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