Provided 6-17-16
1516 RTKL 0181

PHILADELPHIA SCHOOL DISTRICT
Office of School Safety

Directive #26

SUBJECT: SPO SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND DRUG TESTING
I.

PURPOSE
A.
Drug abuse and alcoholism has an adverse effect upon a School Police Officer’s
ability to execute his/her duties.
B.
Integrity is an essential element in a SPO’s relationship with students, other
employees, and the public.
C.
The purpose of this policy also relates to the welfare and well being of the
individual SPO and all SDP employees.
D.
The Executive Director of Human Resources is authorized to issue regulations,
procedures, and programs regarding substance abuse.

II.

POLICY
A.
It is the policy of the School District of Philadelphia that the abusive and/or illicit
use of drugs or alcohol by its SPOs and all its employees will not be tolerated.
The School District has a paramount interest in protecting and serving the schools
by ensuring that its employees are fit to perform their duties.
B.
All members of the Office of School Safety are subject to “reasonable suspicion”
drug testing.
C.
All of the premises used by the School District of Philadelphia, whether owned,
leased, or temporarily under its control for any program or activity, are declared
to be drug-free workplaces.
D.
The School District of Philadelphia prohibits the possession, manufacture, sale,
dispensing and use of alcohol and/or any controlled substance and prohibits any
of its employees from being under the influence of alcohol or a controlled
substance on any of its premises or in any of its programs or activities. An
employee found to violate this rule shall be subject to discipline up to and
including discharge.
E.
The School District of Philadelphia encourages its employees experiencing
difficulty with alcohol or controlled substance abuse to seek assistance in their
efforts to control such problems and to achieve rehabilitation. It remains the
employee’s responsibility to initiate efforts to seek assistance before the stage at
which his/her work performance is impaired and leads to disciplinary action.
F.
All School Safety personnel arrested for a criminal offense must notify their
immediate supervisor, and School Police Radio Dispatch, of the incident within
24 hours.
G.
Any SPO who is convicted of a criminal drug offense in or out of the workplace
must give written notice of such conviction to the Executive Director of Talent
and his/her immediate supervisor within 24 hours.

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 H.

I.
J.

K.

III.

Prescription drugs (controlled and non-controlled) are to be administered as per
the instructions of the prescribing doctor. It is the responsibility of the SPO to
make the prescribing medical or dental practitioner aware of the sensitive nature
of the SPO’s job related duties prior to prescribing any medication.
Non-prescribed, over the counter medications must only be used in recommended
dosage amounts. Employees must consider possible effects on job performance,
both before and during dosing.
All information or reports submitted to or received by the School District of
Philadelphia regarding drug testing is considered strictly confidential and the
unauthorized dissemination of this information by a member of the SDP shall
result in disciplinary action.
The foregoing constitutes the School District of Philadelphia’s policy on
employee alcohol and substance abuse. However, a comprehensive alcohol and
substance abuse program and policy, including provisions governing testing for
alcohol and substance abuse, will follow. It must be emphasized that as a
condition of employment, every Philadelphia School District employee must
abide by the terms of this policy. This obligation includes the employee’s
submission to the appropriate drug and alcohol testing under present practice

PROCEDURE
A.
When employees are found in possession of suspected drugs, referral must be
made to law enforcement authorities immediately.
B.
When an employee is arrested for possession, sale or manufacture of a controlled
substance, the employee should be immediately suspended without pay pending
resolution of the criminal charges.
C.
An employee convicted of possession, sale or manufacture of a controlled
substance is to be recommended for immediate dismissal.
*NOTE: In applying the above guidelines, all due process rights of students and
staff, in accordance with the State Code and contractual provision, must
be observed.
D.
If SPO’s Supervisor or Principal/Designee has a reasonable suspicion that the
SPO has taken illegal substances or is intoxicated, due to the SPO’s inability to
properly execute his/her duties, the Supervisor or the Principal/ Designee will
have the SPO tested for substance or alcohol abuse. Prior to transportation of an
employee, a Supervisor or the Principal/ Designee will forward to Health
Services, the Reasonable Suspicion Observation Report. (Fax: 215-400-4661)
(Phone: 215-400). Between the hours of 8:00 A.M to 4:30 P.M Monday
through Friday, a School Police Patrol Supervisor will then escort the SPO to the
Division of Health Services, located at 440 N Broad, Education Center,
Room 134. An officer of the same sex as the suspected SPO must be present in
the vehicle, if the driver is not of the same gender.
*NOTE: A Patrol Officer will transport any School District employee who is
suspected of having taken illegal substances or is intoxicated. An officer
of the same sex must be present in the vehicle. The Principal and/or their
Designee will accompany the employee to Employee Health Services.
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 E.

F.

IV.

When the Division of Health Services, located at 440 North Broad, Room 134 is
non operational (holidays, weekends, non- business hours). First Lab (after hour
drug testing) will be notified (Phone: 1-800-732). The identified school
district employee will remain at the location where reasonable suspicion is
established with his/her immediate supervisor until a representative from First
Lab arrives to administer testing. The Supervisor or the Principal/Designee will
forward the Reasonable Suspicion Observation Report to Employee Health
Services during business hours (8:00 AM to 4:30 PM) (Fax: 215-400-4661)
(Phone: 215-400).
Supervisors, Principals/Designees, and members of the department will not
unnecessarily or unreasonably endanger themselves in applying these
guidelines to actual situations.

DISCIPLINARY ACTION
A.
Disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal, will be taken against a member
of the School Police under the following conditions:
1.
A urinalysis or the current form of drug testing indicating a positive result.
2.
Refusal of a direct order to submit to a drug test by an employee shall be
considered as a cause to suspend the employee with the intent to dismiss.
3.
Any action or attempt by an employee to alter, taint, or impair the validity
of a drug test including any adulteration or substitution of a sample.
4.
The use of a prescription drug (controlled or non-controlled) which was
not prescribed for the SPO by a licensed medical practitioner.
5.
The abuse and/or illicit use of prescription and/or non-prescription drugs.

7-19-04
Revised 7-12-06
JUNE 2015
BY ORDER OF THE CHIEF SAFETY EXECUTIVE
OFFICE of SCHOOL SAFETY
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