Pubdate: Fri, 02 Sep 2005
Source: New York Daily News (NY)
Copyright: 2005 Daily News, L.P.
Contact:  http://www.nydailynews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/295
Author: Lisa L. Colangelo And Alison Gendar
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Test)

HAIRY SITUATION: COPS SLAM NEW TEST FOR DRUGS

Crew-cut cops and balding sergeants are being forced to hand over chest 
hair, leg hair and in some cases pubic hair to labs conducting NYPD drug tests.

The hair analysis - which began last month in the random testing of its 
roughly 35,000 cops - can detect cocaine, heroin, marijuana, PCP and 
Ecstasy in the body for up to 90 days, a big improvement over the three to 
30 days that the drugs remain in urine.

But rank-and-file cops say the new process is unprofessional and may lead 
to skewed results.

"We've had a member whose leg was carved up as they took a sample of leg 
hair," said Ed Mullins, president of the Sergeants Benevolent Association.

The sergeants, joining unions representing police officers and detectives, 
filed a complaint last Friday with the city Bureau of Collective Bargaining.

Unions leaders cited a recent lawsuit filed by seven Boston cops that 
raised legitimate questions if the hair analysis was flawed, officials said.

NYPD brass defended the hair testing, adding it was not overly intrusive.

The Police Department conducted 8,055 random drug tests last year - and 
just two came back positive. In both cases, the cops were fired.

The NYPD medical division now removes enough hair from each cop to fill a 
2-inch-by-2-inch envelope. Leg and body hair can be used if a cop is bald 
or has a shaved head. If a cop doesn't have enough head, leg, chest or arm 
hair, pubic hair is used. In such cases, the cops clip their own hair.

The NYPD first used hair tests in 1995 in cases where drug use was 
suspected. Hair tests were added for probationary officers in 1996. Last 
month, they were used in the random drug screening of all cops.

James Hanley, the city labor relations commissioner, said the NYPD 
discussed the new tests with police unions. "It's been tested by the courts 
and we have the right to do it."
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MAP posted-by: Elizabeth Wehrman