Substance misuse

15th May 2025

Our Ref’s: FOI2025/03470, 03497 & 03462

Request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 Ref No’s: FOI2025/03470, 03497 & 03462

****PLEASE NOTE THIS RESPONSE IS A COLLABORATED RESPONSE FROM BEDFORDSHIRE POLICE, CAMBRIDGESHIRE & HERTFORDSHIRE CONSTABULARIES****

I write in connection with your request for information received on 22nd April.  I note you seek access to the following information:

1. Please tell me, with reference to each of the last four financial years (21/22) (22/23) (23/24) and (24/25), the number of:
   a) Substance misuse tests undertaken at random on your force's officers (not civilian staff).
   b) Substance misuse tests administered with cause on your force's officers (not civilian staff)
   c) Substance misuse tests given on a pre-employment basis to people applying to be a police officer with your force.
   d) The number of positive tests to the number of tests undertaken in total for (a), (b) and (c).
   
   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   b) The disciplinary measures resulting (e.g. final warning, dismissed, job offer withdrawn).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.
   
   NOTE: For pre-employment tests, I do not require that you break down the number of positives by substance detected.

I am required by the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (The Act) to handle all requests in a manner that is blind to the identity of the requestor. Any information released in response to a request is regarded as being published and therefore, in the public domain without caveat.

Response: Following enquiries within the collaborated Professional Standards and Human Resources Departments of the three Force’s, please find the information you have requested below:

***PLEASE NOTE***

We can only supply data at BCH level, not broken down by Force & in calendar years, as that is how it is recorded.

Furthermore, we cannot differentiate between Officers & Staff Members:

For pre-employment checks, we do not centrally record the number of positive tests, but any positive ones have had their job offer withdrawn:

 The numerical data presented in this response is an un-audited snapshot of un-published data sourced from "live" systems and is subject to the interpretation of the original request by the individual extracting the data.