Ministry considers drug testing Police Officers

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The Ministry of Police and Prisons is moving to eliminate Police Officers who are involved in drug use.

In doing so, they are looking into introducing mandatory drug testing for all Police Officers.

This was confirmed by Acting Police Commissioner, Papali’i Monalisa Tia’i Keti, during a press conference following a drug raid in Lotopa last week, where the confiscated ice and more than $10,000 tala and different currencies.

Papalii said the ministry is in the preliminary stage of developing a drug-testing regime for the initiative as they want to eliminate Police officers who are drug users from the force.

In March, three Police Constables were charged administratively in relation to drug matters, following after a Police Standard Unit investigation launched when their identity surfaced from interrogations of drug defendants arrested and charged in previous drug raids.

In February, Minister of Police and Prisons, Faualo Harry Schuster told Radio Polynesia, that the Ministry an internal investigation was carried out to remove “corrupt police officers on the force” in their alleged involvement in dealing and using drugs.

In earlier interviews, the Minister told Radio Polynesia said he’s encouraged that the Senior Management of the Ministry is investigating allegations of members of the force involved in drug-taking.