From: RPOA
By: Robert M. Wexler, 3/14/1997
KNX Radio recently criticized the Riverside Police Officers’s Association for obtaining an Injunction to project the constitutional rights of its members.
We do not know the source from which KNX secured its information, but the editorial was factually inaccurate and misled listeners. At issue in this lawsuit is a drug testing policy that was covertly implemented by the Riverside Police Department in violation of state law fewer than six months prior to this incident. Under the terms of the policy that had been agreed to by the Association, none of the officers could have been forced to provide a bodily fluid sample.
KNX criticized a twenty-five year veteran officer for leaving the police station prior to giving a blood or urine sample. Omitted was the fact that the officer only left some five hours after his shift had ended and after he had provided Department Detectives with a complete and accurate statement about the incident. Department officials never ordered or even suggested that the officer not leave.
The Riverside Police Officers’ Association truly supports the highest professional and ethical standard for its members. It supports drug and alcohol testing under appropriate circumstances that take precautions to ensure the accuracy of results. Like all citizens, police officers possess constitutional rights that deserve protection. Twice now, the Court has ruled in favor of the Association and the individual officers.
Rather than KNX questioning why the Riverside officers would take action to enforce their constitutional rights, KNX should have questioned why those rights were violated in the first place.
