Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Arlington reinstates police officer who used steroids

By Scott Henson of Grits For Breakfast

Steroids do have a few, um, side effects.

Having discussed recently the quiet but growing problem of steroid abuse among police officers, I was interested to see an article published in the Fort Worth Star Telegram last week about a female officer fired for abusing steroids from the Arlington PD ("Veteran officer gets her job back," Nov. 9).

The Arlington cop admitted to using steroids after police responded to a domestic dispute at her home:

Two points to make about this: First, state civil service law shouldn't give arbitrators authority to overrule a police chief's decision to fire police officers. That's why those cities have civil service commissions, and it's unfortunate and misguided - an homage to police union power at the Texas Legislature - that state law gives officers who've engaged in serious misconduct so many extra appeals.

Second, the arbitrator's reinstatement of Officer Lincoln implies that - as a matter of policy if not in the opinion of the Arlington police chief - that steroid abuse is not a firing offense at that agency. After all, the next steroid abusing officer will point to Kelly Lincoln to convince the next arbitrator that firing defies precedent, and on and on it goes.

In related news, an officer allegedly peddling steroids was arrested in Tennessee last week. Allegedly he tipped off dealers about police surveillance in addition to profiting from the product's sale. Maybe it's time to begin demanding steroid testing of police officers, at least when supervisors suspect steroid use as with a new policy in Albuquerque. It would also help matters to conduct more thorough investigations when law enforcement discovers connections between peace officers and illegal steroid rings.

To be clear, I don't necessarily believe steroids should be illegal, although anecdotal tales of "roid rage" might make steroids inappropriate in any case in the law enforcement profession, where officers must always keep their heads. However as long as steroids remain outlawed, officers who use them expose themselves to black markets and corruption that risk compromising their ability to uphold the law. Police chiefs should be empowered to remove such risks from their departments.

Pegasus News content partner - Grits For Breakfast

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Comments

Pavel Lishin Verified

"However as long as steroids remain outlawed, officers who use them expose themselves to black markets and corruption that risk compromising their ability to uphold the law."

You can really make that argument against anything currently illegal.

10 months, 3 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Erin Rice Staff

So then cops shouldn't be doing anything illegal. Or we should change the things we define as illegal. Sounds pretty good to me.

10 months, 3 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )