Substance misuse tests 134/2022

FOI Reference: 134/2022

Request:

1) Please tell me, with reference to the 2020/21 financial year, the number of

a) Substance misuse tests undertaken at random by your force's officers;

b) Substance misuse tests administered with cause by your force's officers;

c) Substance misuse tests given on a pre-employment basis;

d) The number of positive tests to number of tests undertaken in total;

2) Please break down 1d (the number of positive tests) by

a) The drug detected (e.g. cannabis, cocaine)

b) The disciplinary measures resulting (e.g. final warning, dismissed, job offer withdrawn)

c) Whether the substance misuse test was given at random, with cause or on a pre-employment basis

Response 1:

I can confirm that Dyfed-Powys Police does hold the information requested, the details of which are as follows:

a) There was a total of zero (0) substance misuse tests undertaken at random by Dyfed Powys Police officers in the financial year 20/21. Please note, this was due in part to covid restrictions.

b) There was a total of one (1) substance misuse tests administered with cause on a Dyfed Powys Police officer in the financial year 20/21.

c) There was a total of eighty six (86) substance misuse tests given on a pre-employment basis in the financial year 20/21.

d) For questions 1a – c; there was a total of zero (0) positive tests.

Response 2:

A response to question 2 of your request is not applicable – which is based on the response to question 1 above i.e. that there were no positive tests.

It should be noted that owing to the systems adopted by Dyfed-Powys Police in relation to the recording of such matters the information provided may or may not be accurate.       

Police Forces in the United Kingdom are routinely required to provide statistics to government bodies and the recoding criteria is set nationally.  However, the systems used for recording these figures are not generic, nor are the procedures used locally in capturing the data.  It should be noted that for these reasons this Force’s response to your questions should not be used for comparison purposes with any other response you may receive.     

(This is a response under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and disclosed on 10/05/22)