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Substance misuse
Report: 12
Date: 13 June 2002
By: Commissioner
Summary
This report sets out the current position on the development of drug testing within the MPS
A. Recommendation
That Members note that due to the work on pay and conditions in PNB no progress on this matter has been possible.
B. Supporting information
Background
1. Professional Standards and Performance Monitoring Committee received a full report outlining the work that had been undertaken within the MPS on 14 February 2002. This included reference to the contribution made by the MPS in taking this important matter forward at a national level. At that time it was anticipated that the PABEW would be reaching a final decision in respect of this matter at their meeting in April.
2. Due to the protracted nature of the conciliation process which has been necessary to reach agreement on national pay and conditions arrangements, this matter has not yet been finalised.
3. A report setting out the differing views expressed at the PABEW in January is now with Ministers. It is hoped that the matter will be considered in the near future so that we may move to continuing with detailed arrangements necessary to enable drug testing in specified circumstances to be put in place.
4. Some work is continuing in the Home Office to explore the development of a specification for drug testing and the MPS will be participating fully in future developments.
C. Financial implications
Given the uncertainty of the precise details of how drug testing will be implemented it has proved difficult to give an indication of cost. We have obtained a provisional estimate of the cost of a test on the most common forms of drugs and this is £20 per test. This assumes the simple collection of a specimen and this is likely to be in the region of £25 per specimen. Given this information, if drug testing is used in the recruitment process for police officers, for this year where we may be recruiting in the region of 3,000, the cost would be £135,000. No budgetary provision for these tests has been identified and therefore costs would be subject to a further report.
D. Background papers
None.
E. Contact details
Report authors: Linda Van den Hende, MPS.
For information contact:
MPA general: 020 7202 0202
Media enquiries: 020 7202 0217/18
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