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Beneficiaries more than 1000 times more likely to be drug tested than police, new figures show

August 3, 2020

Police say they are finally ready to start testing more officers, five years after announcing the plan.

Police now say they’re finally ready to start drug testing more of their officers, five years after announcing the plan.

New figures show a beneficiary is more than 1000 times more likely to be sent for a drug test than a cop.

In 2015, the police announced they were going to start drug testing 500 officers a year to improve safety.

However, 1 NEWS can reveal that in 2018 the police drug tested just seven police officers and in 2019 only 33.

In the first three months of this year just six cops have been tested.

None failed, but there are questions about why the police aren't delivering what they promised.

“The public would take great confidence if they were delivering on those tests and I would note a few years ago the now Police Minister was like a lion on this issue saying they should be done - bit of a lamb now he's actually Police Minister,” National’s Brett Hudson says.

Police Minister Stuart Nash wouldn't be interviewed today, but police gave 1 NEWS a statement saying they will increase the amount of drug testing they're doing - including on all recruits.

1 NEWS can also reveal the latest drug testing stats when it comes to beneficiaries.

Last year 37,066 beneficiaries were sent for jobs subject to drug testing.

It's not known how many tests were carried out, but there were 73 failed tests. That includes those who refused the test or didn't turn up.

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