NYPD agents stop being tested for cannabis use, but measure is not consensual

The City of New York has announced that New York Police Department (NYPD) officers will no longer be tested for cannabis use. New York Post. However, and although, initially, the department had released a statement saying that they would stop testing, they quickly came to rectify it, informing that they would still analyze and reflect better on the order given by the Municipality. According to an NYPD spokesperson, the department will "continue to administer cannabis screenings to its staff," but only when "there is an indication of disability." 

The New York Post obtained a memo from the NYPD’s own Assistant Commissioner for Legal Affairs, dated July 11, which stated “beginning immediately, the department should only test a service member for cannabis use if there is a reasonable suspicion that the member is harmed by cannabis use at work.” NYPD later issued a letter to all commandos that said officers "are not allowed to use cannabis on or off duty." 

Prior to this New York City Council order, a police officer would be automatically fired if their cannabis test was positive, a process referred to as “doled out” in US police slang.

Measure does not reach consensus among agents

However, not all members of the famous police department accepted the possible change to this rule willingly. “I don't agree with that at all, but I'm a former police officer,” said a police officer with decades of work. “I think it sets a bad example. What follows, inject heroin”? 

“This is all for people who can't get into the gym because they test positive for marijuana,” said another agent. “I suppose that all the people who have already been excluded are going to be rehired? This department is going downhill. What happens if a person shoots and kills someone and it turns out they were high on cannabis?” 

A Manhattan police officer with more than two decades of service agreed with the new decision and added that he believed the NYPD was moving to lower standards so that more candidates could be hired to offset the recent increase. of retirements in the department.