FEWER than 1 per cent of drug and alcohol tests of Victorian police have come up positive, with cannabis the most-detected drug.
Figures obtained by The Age under freedom of information laws show the force checked 1625 of its members in the five years since tests began, with 13 returning positive results.
Testing falls into four categories: targeted at police believed to be abusing drugs and alcohol; those obligatory after a ''critical incident'' such as a high-speed chase or police shooting; random and blanket testing of ''high risk'' work units; and testing on ''performance management'' grounds.
Targeted, or 'investigative'', testing has returned seven positives since 2008; three police have returned positive results in performance-based testing and three members of high-risk units - such as the drug squad and special operations group - have tested positive.
Two tested positive for both cocaine and heroin, five for cannabis, two for amphetamines, one for steroids, one for both steroids and amphetamines and two for alcohol.
''The alcohol and other drug testing policy focuses on the fitness for duty responsibilities of all Victoria Police employees,'' a police spokeswoman said. ''Employees need to be fit for duty and not affected by alcohol or other drugs. It is equally important that employees feel assured that colleagues are not affected by alcohol or other drugs. ''But it is as much a welfare-based issue as an ethical one. This is also about the community having trust in Victoria Police - and if our members are enforcing laws around illicit drug use, they also need to obey the same laws.
''The positive results confirm the drug and alcohol testing policy fully supports the ethical standards and behaviours expected of sworn members of Victoria Police.''
Police union secretary Greg Davies welcomed the low number of positive results, but said Victoria Police was using its power to test in high-risk areas - or ''specific work units'' - to unfairly take aim at certain suburban police stations.
''We're pleased, but not at all surprised, that the results of the drug testing within the police force are at the low levels they are,'' he said.
''We do, however, retain our concerns that the police force can walk into a police station and, for no apparent reason, determine that that is a specific work unit for the purposes of drug-testing everybody that works there.''
Adapted from The Age - Dan Oates
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