Procedure 924-Mandatory Drug Testing Program Flashcards
.01 INTRODUCTION
A. This procedure establishes a mandatory drug-testing program for sworn members, agreed upon by the City of San
Antonio and the San Antonio Police Officers’ Association.
B. This procedure does not supersede any criminal investigation related to substance abuse by a member of the
Department.
C. The drug testing of non-sworn members is handled in accordance with City Administrative Directive 4.3, Alcohol
and Controlled Substances Testing.
.02 POLICY
It is the policy of the San Antonio Police Department to maintain a safe work environment for its employees and for the
citizens of San Antonio. The presence of controlled substances in the workplace is inconsistent with the highest
standards of health and safety in the delivery of police services and will not be tolerated.
.03 TERMINOLOGY(For specific use within this procedure, see Glossary)
Company Drug Testing Reasonable Suspicion
.04 REASONABLE SUSPICION DRUG TESTS
A. Any command or supervisory officer who has reasonable suspicion to believe an officer is under the influence of or
abuses a drug or controlled substance shall write a report and forward it directly to the Chief of Police requesting a
mandatory drug test be conducted on the subject officer.
B. The report must include a summary of the facts supporting the reasonable suspicion. The reasonable suspicion must
be based on specific, observable facts that an officer may be under the influence of drugs.
C. The Chief of Police shall have the discretionary authority, based on reasonable suspicion, to order an officer to
submit to a mandatory drug test.
.05 MANDATORY DRUG TESTING PROGRAM
A. As per the Collective Bargaining Agreement, one hundred percent (100%) of all officers of all ranks shall be
susceptible to mandatory drug testing during each calendar year on a fair and impartial statistical basis at the City’s
expense.
B. The Mandatory Drug Testing Program is designed and shall be administered to result in disciplinary action only
against those officers who have violated the Department’s rules, regulations, policies, or procedures.
C. The Mandatory Drug Testing Program will be administered by the Drug Testing Coordinator, assigned to the Office
of the Chief.General Manual Procedures – Section 900 Personnel Procedures Page 2 of 5 Effective Date:July 31, 2010
San Antonio Police Department
GENERAL MANUAL
Procedure 924 – Mandatory Drug Testing Program
.06 SELECTION OF OFFICERS
A. A computerized program certified as non-discriminatory and operated by an independent firm hired by the City shall
be used to randomly select officers to be tested.
B. Based on authorized manpower levels as of January 1st of each year, twenty-five percent (25%) of all officers will be
randomly selected and tested during each year.
C. The identification numbers (social security numbers) of the officers selected on a monthly basis by the independent
firm (hereafter referred to as the “Company”) will be provided to the Drug Testing Coordinator.
D. The Drug Testing Coordinator will be responsible for notifying the Company of the identity of the officers selected
for mandatory drug testing.
.07 OFFICER NOTIFICATION AND PRE-TESTING PROCEDURES
A. A supervisory officer will notify officers selected for mandatory drug testing in accordance with Section .06 of their
selection.
B. The supervisory officer will have the officer selected for mandatory drug testing sign a written order by the Chief of
Police, acknowledging the officer has been ordered to provide a urine specimen for testing.
C. If an officer selected for mandatory drug testing is unavailable due to being sick, attending court, on vacation, etc.,
he will be ordered to provide a urine specimen as soon as possible upon returning to work.
D. Officers selected for drug testing will normally be contacted and asked to provide a specimen at the location where
they work.
E. Both the preliminary and the confirmation test will be performed at a SAMHSA/CAP FUDTP certified laboratory.
.08 MANDATORY DRUG TESTS
A. Mandatory drug tests shall be conducted to detect the presence of marijuana, cocaine, opiates, amphetamine, and/or
phencyclidines in urine specimens.
B. Mandatory drug tests shall consist of a two-step procedure. The two steps are as follows:
1. An initial drug screening test and, if necessary;
2. A confirmation drug screening test.
C. Failure of officers to provide urine samples or an attempt to alter, taint, or impair the validity of a urine sample for
the initial drug screening test may be considered a refusal to submit to a mandatory drug test. A refusal would be a
violation of Rule and Regulation 3.03A, Insubordination, and may lead to a recommendation for an officer’s
termination.
D. The Chief of Police maintains the right to determine the duty status of officers who refuse to provide a urine
specimen.General Manual Procedures – Section 900 Personnel Procedures Page 3 of 5 Effective Date:July 31, 2010
San Antonio Police Department
GENERAL MANUAL
Procedure 924 – Mandatory Drug Testing Program
.09 INITIAL DRUG SCREENING TEST PROCEDURE
A. When an officer is notified by a supervisory officer he has been selected for a mandatory drug test, the officer will
cooperate fully with supervisors and representatives of the Company and provide a urine specimen.
1. The officer shall be provided a restroom that is private and secure.
2. The officer shall be permitted no more than four (4) hours to provide the sample.
3. During this maximum four (4) hour period, officers will remain in the testing area under observation by the
Company representative.
4. Reasonable amounts of fluids may be given to officers to encourage urination.
B. Officers will be required to provide a minimum of 45 milliliters (ml) of urine to be tested. The urine will be
separated into two (2) samples, one 30 ml sample (“A” bottle) and one 15 ml sample (“B” bottle).
C. When there is a reason to believe an officer may have altered or substituted a urine specimen to be provided, a
second urine specimen shall be obtained under the direct observation of the Company representative.
D. When an officer appears unable or unwilling to give a urine sample to be tested, the Company representative shall
document the circumstances on the drug test report form.
E. Failure of an officer to provide a urine sample may be considered a refusal to submit to a mandatory drug test.
F. The five- (5) drugs to be screened and the test cutoff levels in nanogram/milliliter are as follows:
Drugs Cutoff Levels
1. Marijuana metabolite 50 ng/ml
2. Cocaïne métabolite 300 ng/ml
3. Opiate metabolite 2,000 ng/ml
4. Phencyclidine 25 ng/ml
5. Amphetamines 1,000 ng/ml
G. Concentrations of a drug at or higher than the above levels shall be considered a positive test result on the initial
drug screening test.
1. An initial positive test result will not be considered conclusive; rather, it will be classified as “confirmation
pending.”
2. A positive test result on the initial drug-screening test will automatically require a confirmation drug test be
performed.
H. Officers may, at their own expense, request to have the drug test administered at an approved physician’s office,
provided the test is administered within five (5) hours after notification by the Chief. The Company representative
will accompany the officer.
I. Officers have the right to request their urine sample be stored in case of legal disputes. If the officer requests, the
urine sample will be submitted to the designated testing facility where the sample will be maintained for a period of
one (1) year from the date the officer provided the urine sample.General Manual Procedures – Section 900 Personnel Procedures Page 4 of 5 Effective Date:July 31, 2010
San Antonio Police Department
GENERAL MANUAL
Procedure 924 – Mandatory Drug Testing Program
.10 CONFIRMATION DRUG TEST PROCEDURE
A. The 30 ml sample of the officer’s urine will be used to conduct the initial drug screening test and if necessary; a
confirmation drug test. The 15 ml sample of the officer’s urine will be stored in case of legal disputes.
B. Should a confirmation test be required due to a positive initial drug-screening test, the confirmation test procedure
will be technologically different and more sensitive than the initial drug screening test. A five- (5) panel drugscreening test will be conducted on each drug test by the SAMHSA/CAP FUDTP certified laboratory selected to
conduct the drug test.
C. The same five (5) panel drug screen test will be conducted on each confirmation drug test as was conducted on the
initial test.
D. The five (5) drugs to be screened and the test cutoff levels in nanogram/milliliter for the confirmation drug test are
as follows:
Drugs Cutoff Levels
1. Marijuana metabolite 15 ng/ml
2. Cocaine metabolite 150 ng/ml
3. Opiates:
a. Morphine 2,000 ng/ml
b. Codeine 2,000 ng/ml
c. 6-Acetylmorphine 10 ng/ml
4. Phencyclidine 25 ng/ml
5. Amphetamines:
a. Amphetamines 500 ng/ml
b. Methamphetamine 500 ng/ml
E. Concentrations of a drug at or higher than the above levels shall be considered a positive test result on the
confirmation drug screening test.
F. Where a positive drug test is confirmed, the officer’s urine specimen shall be maintained in a secured, refrigerated
storage until any disciplinary action has been finalized.
G. A post-test interview shall be conducted by a medical review officer from the Company on any officer who has
tested positive and the results confirmed. The post-test interview will be conducted in order to ascertain and
document the recent use of prescription or non-prescription medicine and direct or indirect exposure to drugs that
may result in a false positive test result.
.11 MANDATORY DRUG TEST RESULTS
A. All original copies of mandatory drug test results and records shall be submitted to the Chief of Police in a sealed
envelope by the Company.
B. Any officer having a confirmed positive drug test result will be processed for disciplinary action in accordance with
GM Procedure 303, Disciplinary Procedures. Disciplinary action could include a recommendation for an officer’s
termination.General Manual Procedures – Section 900 Personnel Procedures Page 5 of 5 Effective Date:July 31, 2010
San Antonio Police Department
GENERAL MANUAL
Procedure 924 – Mandatory Drug Testing Program
C. The Chief of Police maintains the right to determine the duty status, pending disciplinary action, of any officer
refusing to provide a specimen or of any officer having a confirmed positive drug test result.
.12 CONFIDENTIALITY
A. All records pertaining to mandatory drug testing shall remain confidential, except to the extent used in a disciplinary
process and appeal.
B. Drug tests results and records shall be stored in a locked file under the control of the Chief.
1. The Chief will maintain original copies submitted by the laboratory.
2. No access to drug test results and records shall be allowed without the written approval of the Chief.
C. Any employee disclosing any information regarding the identity of an officer selected for mandatory drug testing,
that the drug testing is scheduled, and/or the date on which the urine specimen is to be collected is subject to
disciplinary action.
General Manual Procedures – Section 900 Personnel Procedures Page 1 of 5 Effective Date:July 31, 2010
San Antonio Police Department
GENERAL MANUAL
Procedure 924 – Mandatory Drug Testing Program
Office with Primary
Responsibility:
COP Effective Date:
Prior Revision Date:
July 31, 2010
October 01, 2009
Office(s) with Secondary
Responsibilities: PSC, PNC, TSC, FTC, IDC, SSO Number of Pages: 5
Forms Referenced in Procedure: None Related Procedures: 303
