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January 7, 2004Sheriff wants drug testIdea spurred by judge's experienceByRecord-Eagle staff writer TRAVERSE CITY - The Grand Traverse County sheriff will be collecting a urine sample from himself beginning this year. Sheriff Scott Fewins said he is concerned with the public's perception of law enforcement, so he and Undersheriff Nathan Alger volunteered to undergo twice-yearly drug screens. The testing of Fewins and Alger will cost the department roughly $100 per year, he said. The move, which has been in the works for about a year, was prompted in part by the revelation that 86th District Court Judge Thomas Gilbert smoked marijuana, Fewins said. Sergeants and patrol officers with the department undergo drug testing when administrators believe there is "reasonable suspicion" to test them, Fewins said. Fewins said a survey he conducted last year indicated most of his staff would favor random drug testing. But Fewins' survey was conducted in one-on-one interviews, said Patrick Spidell, Traverse City business representative for the Police Officers Association of Michigan. Most officers voted to reject random drug testing at a general union meeting last year, he said. Deputy Preston Taylor, union representative at the sheriff's department, disagreed. He believes most rank and file members favor testing. Staff are tested when they are hired, promoted, or if there is reasonable suspicion to test them. "He certainly has enough in place, policy- and procedure-wise, to deal with that issue," Spidell said. Fewins said he will review the results of Alger's test and his own results will be forwarded to Grand Traverse Prosecutor Dennis LaBelle.
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