Police exceed powers over drug tests
Pubs, clubs and bars in Staffordshire were subjected to random drugs tests by police on a busy Saturday night.
The Staffordshire Police licensing unit went to Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, Kidsgrove, Leek and Newcastle-under-Lyme.
Host Rob McKeon, of Harry's Bar in Stoke-on-Trent, said the pub was one of 13 premises targeted, with police visiting unannounced at 11.30pm on Saturday, 18 June. McKeon said: "In the past, the police have always phoned to make an appointment for a convenient time. "However, they turned up unannounced, walked in and began doing swab tests without even speaking to me.
"I have since received an apology from the sergeant who was on shift for his officers not actually asking to speak to me first, but am puzzled as to whether the police are stretching their powers here."
Sergeant Dave Wright, from the Staffordshire Police Licensing Unit, said: "The purpose of these visits is to establish the level of drug use, if any, at the venue and to discuss with the management of the premises steps to take in order to reduce and eliminate it.
"Officers carrying out such tests will introduce themselves to whoever is in charge at the venue when they arrive, and that person is invited to accompany the officers as they take swabs from surfaces throughout the venue.
"Licensees are fully updated as to the results of the testing regardless of whether they indicate drug contact or not, and if the swabs show drug readings the management are given advice as to where they need to concentrate their efforts on tackling drug use in their premise. Such advice may range from verbal advice to a full site inspection with a drugs liaison officer, who will give site specific advice
The PMA legal editor Peter Coulson said: "It is unfortunate that the police say they always consult the licensee because it isn't borne out by the facts of this case - the licensee said that he was not consulted before the police carried out the swabs. It must be questioned whether the police have a right to do this. Any licensee faced with this should take legal advice, because I do feel the police are exceeding their powers."
