Of Course Police Officers Should Be Routinely Tested for Drug/Alcohol Use

To say that I was appalled when I discovered that police officers in the United States are not required to submit to routine alcohol and drug testing would be a major understatement. How, with all of the irrational sensibility being exercised, has America been able to sustain for over two hundred years? There is more logic used by a three-ring circus coordinator than there is by our ever so elite group of men and women of which our government is comprised. Who are the people that deem it necessary to routinely drug test professional athletes but not necessary to routinely drug test law enforcement personnel? Do these people have college degrees? Or, better yet, do they have any common sense?

Unless I am missing some crucial pieces to this puzzle, I find this to be more than slightly backward. Professional athletes, being used here for comparison purposes only, are trained for physical competition, whereas law enforcement officers are trained to restore order in a community, to respond quickly and effectively to emergency situations, and to prevent crime, to name only a few. We unsafely assume that these tasks are being carried out by the finest and most capable citizens of our communities.

In a critical situation, the alertness of the individual(s) responding is of major importance. A lethargic officer is not one that can "get the job done". Nor is the overly anxious officer. A sharp, active, rational and clear mind is the key to a positive outcome, no matter what the situation.

Aside from the reasons listed above, let's consider the fact that these highly trained professionals are full time carriers of weapons, mainly handguns. To some, handguns are considered to be a deadly weapon; others view them as a means of self defense. Either way, the operator of a handgun should be in total control at all times with a mentality that matches.