Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, April 10, 1991 TAG: 9104100370
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Short
Superintendent William Corvello said all 1,750 law enforcement officers and several dozen other employees who work closely with criminal investigations, will be subject to testing.
Lt. L.R. Jessup, who works in the Salem office of the state police, said, "All our employees have been notified that it's going to happen. Everybody I've talked to says, `fine.' I haven't heard any complaints at all. I think everyone feels comfortable with it."
As many as 80 employees a month will be randomly selected by computer and required to provide a urine sample.
State officials are hiring a private contractor to run the program, which they estimate will cost $50,000 to $60,000 the first year.
Employees who test positive face options, "depending on the circumstances," Corvello said - including drug counseling, suspension or dismissal, depending on what investigators learned about an employee's involvement with drug use, he said.
Kyle L. Miller, president of the Virginia State Police Association, said he was unaware of the program.
"I'm surprised he [Corvello] didn't discuss it with me earlier," said Miller.
He said the association has no problem with drug testing "as long as it's done randomly of all employees."
Staff writer Ron Brown contributed information for this story.
by CNB