Collection

Drug testing on arrest: guidance for police forces

This series brings together all documents relating to drug testing on arrest.

• From: Home Office
• Published: 13 April 2012
• Last updated: 26 January 2021 — See all updates

Guidance for police forces on how to carry out self-funded drug testing on arrest.

All police forces in England and Wales can introduce self-funded drug testing on arrest as an approach to reducing drug-related offending.

Forces are able to manage their own operations across police sites - specific site authorisations through the Home Office are no longer required.

Drug testing is a powerful tool for identifying drug-misusing offenders. A positive drug test for heroin, crack or cocaine use is a valuable gateway to ensure the offender can access treatment and other support to tackle their drug-related offending.

Following a positive test, there are also legal sanctions for those unwilling to address their drug misuse and drug-related offending. In those areas operating drug testing on arrest, around two-thirds of those entering treatment are identified following the initial drug test.

Documents

• Introducing locally funded drugs testing on arrest
  • 23 May 2011
  • Policy paper
• Drugs Test 2 (DT2) form
  • 13 May 2011
  • Form
• Required assessment (RA) forms
  • 13 May 2011
  • Form
• Drugs Test 1 (DT1) form
  • 13 May 2011
  • Form

Published 13 April 2012
Last updated 26 January 2021 + show all updates

1. 26 January 2021

   Correction to previous change note, this should read: "Removed out of date guidance documents 'Drug testing on arrest guidance' dated March 2010 and 'Drug testing police sites' dated April 2012."

2. 5 January 2021

   Removed out of date guidance documents 'Drug testing on arrest guidance' dated 30 June 2011 and 'Drug testing police sites' dated 13 April 2012.

3. 13 April 2012

   First published.