However, Tudela assured his office will find ways to continue the random drug testing policy.
“Drug testing is very important especially for the police personnel because they are the front-liners serving as examples to the community,” Tudela said.
A drug testing kit costs about $69 each. DPS has several hundreds of employees.
Tudela said a random drug testing is being conducted for all government employees in the CNMI.
“I recommend regular drug testing especially for the personnel in my department regularly, even on a monthly basis,” he said. He did not specify a target date when to reactivate the program, but he said he will push for it as soon as funds became available.
Tudela said random drug testing for government employees in the CNMI is being done by the Office of Personnel Management each year.
This, according to news releases from the OPM, is to monitor the growing drug use among public servants.
The OPM had also issued a directive several years back to all agencies that safety-sensitive positions will be exposed to further random drug-testing, specifically people who are into the operation of motor vehicles, heavy machinery or the carrying of firearms.
Variety received suggestions from the community last week to check on the issue of drug testing within the DPS since “it is possible that some officers violate the laws they are supposed to be enforcing because they are under the influence of drugs.” The comment came following the arrest of a police officer who was charged with burglarizing a school and a residence using a government-issued vehicle.
