PPB plans to include exam for steroids

The Portland Police Bureau plans to move ahead with random drug-testing of officers this year and has decided to include exams for steroids, despite stiff opposition from the police union.

The city has initiated training officers on the effects of drugs and alcohol in the workplace, and review the new policy.

From Oregonlive.com:

Portland police will join other major law enforcement agencies, such as Phoenix, Dallas, Albuquerque, N.M., Boston and New York police, who include steroids in their random drug tests.

Use of anabolic steroids, which are essentially synthetic forms of testosterone, sometimes results in a significant elevation of male hormones and can lead to violent outbursts and uncontrolled anger, studies have found. Steroids have legitimate medical uses but are frequently abused for illegitimate recreational uses, such as bodybuilding, weightlifting or “bulking up.”

Deckard said she was unable to reach any agreement with the union on the steroid tests despite multiple meetings last year, but cannot delay the testing further. She said she last met with union leaders in November, but couldn’t find a date in December acceptable to the union to meet.

“Frankly, we have bargained this to completion,” Yvonne Deckard, director of the city’s Bureau of Human Resources said. “This is a very important issue for the City Council and the citizens of Portland.”

Tags: anabolic steroids, Bodybuilding, steroid tests, Steroids, testosterone, weightlifting