Commissioner cautions officials on drug testing

Jul. 10—County officials were cautioned about drug-testing procedures during the group's quarterly meeting at the Pittsburg County Courthouse.

District 2 Commissioner Kevin Smith told county officials not to order their employees to undergo a drug test for a possible drug policy violation if the county official has not taken a class and received certification regarding the process.

Smith spoke with the county officials Monday during their quarterly meeting at the Pittsburg County Courthouse. A meeting agenda item called for "Discussion of drug testing procedures."

Commissioners' First Deputy Sandra Crenshaw said a copy of Pittsburg County's Drug and Alcohol Testing Policy must be given to anyone who is applying for a county job.

"We are required to give those to anybody that you're thinking about hiring," Crenshaw said. "Everybody has to have a drug test."

McAlester/Pittsburg County Office of Emergency Management Director Kevin Enloe noted that the county has zero tolerance on drug violations.

"They have to know that prior to hiring," he noted.

That led to Smith discussing what country officials should do if they think an employee on the job has violated the county's drug and alcohol policy.

If county officials think they have an employee who appears to be drunk or impaired and they want to order a drug test, they should make sure they have taken a class called Reasonable Suspicion offered through the Association of County Commissioners of Oklahoma, Smith said.

Those who take the class should have a certification in the course, he said.

If the county official does not have the certification, then that county official should go get another county official or employee who is certified to observe the employee in question to determine if a drug test should be given, Smith said.

He said that is for the county's protection and also for protection of the county official.

Smith said some individuals may look as if they are impaired by drug or alcohol abuse when they are not.

"So many things look like it, such as a diabetic coma and other things," Smith said.

"Be careful is what I'm saying," said Smith. "Even if you're pretty sure, get somebody who's had that class."

A county official or other county employee certified in the Reasonable Suspicion class would have to agree that the county employees appeared impaired for a special test to be ordered, said Smith.

All county employees are required to take that initial drug test upon being hired. Afterwards, some county employees are in a pool that calls for random drug testing, while others are not.

They all have to take a drug test to go to work, but some are excluded from the pool of those who are randomly tested, Smith said.

Most courthouse employees are not required to be included in the random drug testing after they pass that initial test to get hired.

Those who are included in the random testing pool include those who drive county equipment or other vehicles as part of their jobs.

Smith said he, his District 2 foreman, assistant foreman and clerk have all taken the Reasonable Suspicion class and have obtained class certification.

Those who are in the required random testing pool include:

—County road crews.

—All Pittsburg County Sheriff's Office and Pittsburg County Jail employees.

—Field appraisers with Pittsburg County Assessor Michelle Field's Office, since they drive county vehicles

—Pittsburg County Animal Shelter employees.

—Expo Center employees, who also drive county vehicles and who work with inmates who assist at the facility.

—Employees at the McAlester/Pittsburg County Office of Emergency Management, who drive county vehicles.

—All county employees who have a Commercial Drivers License are included in the random drug test pool, Smith said.

Crenshaw administers the program for the county commissioners. She said the samples taken from county employees for drug and alcohol testing are sent to Compliance Resources in Oklahoma City.