Law Enforcement Officers and Random Drug and Alcohol Testing

This goes without question. Police should definitely have to submit to routine drug and alcohol testing.

The most important thing for someone who wants to become a police officer to have is integrity. That means so much in and of itself. It boils down to a simple concept. Police have to obey and respect the laws they enforce. You can't be a cop if you want to use drugs. You can't be a cop if you need to drink on the job or show up still drunk from the night before.

Police play an extremely important role in society, and with that in mind, they should lead by example. How can anyone expect police officers to command respect for the law if they refuse to follow the law for themselves?

That said, being a police officer requires a certain level of awareness and mental preparedness. Drugs and alcohol are going to impair the mental capacity and overall judgment of an officer, and that's just not acceptable. While the vast majority of officers can proudly take these types of tests without breaking a sweat, others may not be able to claim the same. Police, after all, are still just people. People make mistakes. Routine testing may help to keep an officer from straying.