“They’re stronger and hungrier than me. I told Harris, the goal at the end of my shift is for me to go home safe, for my partner to go home safe.” This was the statement of a Phoenix police officer who was fired late last year for a positive test for steroids. The use of performance enhancing substances for jobs requiring physical strength and stamina is becoming popular. Their objective is to become more effective in performing their duties and responsibilities. However, most organization from sports to government and law enforcement agencies, has already established policies banning its use.

Termination of police officers due to involvement in the distribution or use of steroids is not new in the country. There were already several cases that were reported but most of them did not filed cases that question their dismissal from the service. On the other hand, Carl Ramirez of Phoenix police force filed an appeal for his termination before the Civil Service Board of the city. He argued that he was unfairly fired because the result could be a false positive due to the over-the-counter supplements he was taking. He said that he was taking the supplement Tokkyo Tren which is a steroid-supplement version of trenbolone. Ramirez added that the positive test could be the result of natural chemical reaction of the supplement.

The nature of his work and his age prompted him to engage in bodybuilding and in taking supplements. The officer was fired by Phoenix Public Safety Manager Jack Harris due to the report of his ex-wife that she found syringes at his home. Ramirez denied that he used the syringes to inject steroids. The Arizona Department of Public Safety conducts random steroid test on its officers once a year but if there are reports and suspicion of steroid use, they put an officer under mandatory testing.

Michael Ferraresi of The Arizona Republic wrote that the case of Ramirez could be used as a precedent. If the officer win his case and reinstated to the police force, other similar cases of steroid use may also follow his action. According to some union officials, the existing policy of the department fails to adequately take into account the impact of supplements and designer steroids which can be easily purchased online or over-the-counter. There are supplement products identical to steroids but they are marketed legally. According to Will Buividas, chief negotiator for PLEA (Phoenix Law Enforcement Association), the department hasn’t done a good job of educating its employees on what to take and what not to take. “These guys are taking stuff they think is legal,” he said. Although there was an informational video educating the police officers on how to get medical help or counseling for steroids, but they did not provide list of supplements with banned substances.

Based on the report of Ferraresi, Ramirez’s test result was only one-tenth above the cut-off range. The nandrolone level in his urine was only 5.1 nanograms per milliliter. Experts say that nandrolone is a naturally occurring substance in the body but using synthetic nandrolone can raise it to an abnormal level. Some legal supplements available in the market can also convert nandrolone in the body.

The union requested for a third party opinion on the Ramirez case. A well known anti-doping scientist and the pioneer in sports-drug testing Dr. Don Catlin provided factual information on the case which can improve the chances of Ramirez’ appeal. According to Dr. Catlin, the Phoenix police officer was fired despite a report that “contains factual errors about pharmacology, toxicology and laboratory finding concerning nandrolone.” He said that the supplement Tren can result in a positive test. In an analysis submitted to the PLEA, the doctor said that when Trenbolone enanthate is ingested, the body metabolizes or converts it to two metabolites of nandrolone. “Therefore the ingestion of ‘Tren‘ may produce a positive urine test for nandrolone,” he added.

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