Hundreds of police officers and firefighters in New Jersey were reported to be using steroids. Inside sources even estimated that the number could be higher because there are some officers who are purchasing steroids from the black market. The former founder of BALCO and an owner of a supplement company agreed on this assumption. Victor Conte, who became controversial for supplying designer steroids to professional athletes, estimated that a quarter of law enforcement officers could be involved in the use of performance enhancing substances.

Right now, the actual number of police officers using steroids is hard to determine because of so many factors. Most of them used the drug secretly because they know the consequences if caught using the drug. Police departments implement “zero tolerance policy” which means the use of any prohibited substance is not allowed in the service. Erring officials will surely meet harsh sanctions and even prison term if they are also involved in selling or distribution of these drugs.

The rampant use of anabolic steroids and other performance enhancing drugs is not only happening in New Jersey but it could also be happening in other states. Lawrence Payne, the spokesman of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) told the AOL News that it’s becoming a big problem. “It’s a big problem, and from the number of cases, it’s something we shouldn’t ignore,” he said. “It’s not that we set out to target cops, but when we’re in the middle of an active investigation into steroids, there have been quite a few cases that have led back to police officers,” he added.

According to health experts, the number of users in law enforcement could be in the same level with bodybuilding and sports. The number of steroid users uncovered by the Star Ledger in New Jersey was only based on recorded prescriptions. And most of these prescriptions were not valid because of connivance with doctors making fake diagnosis.

The Reason Behind Steroid Use

An author of a steroid book said that the change in culture in the police service contributed to the rise in steroids use. According to Larry Gaines, too much emphasis on physical fitness has forced some officers to use substances that will enhance their physique. “This has become a great competition among officers. They want to be the biggest, strongest,” said Gaines, who heads the Department of Criminal Justice at California State San Bernardino.

Conte agreed on this and even cited sports competition in police departments that could have added to the inclination to use muscle building supplements. He said regional and national police sports competitions usually feature events such as weightlifting. “I’ve known people in those competitions who were using that stuff,” Conte told AOL News.

Gaines admitted that even if police officers are involved in the use of steroids, they have not received similar criticisms common to professional athletes. He gave two possible reasons; police officers don’t have any athletic record to protect and kids don’t idolize them. “I don’t know what would have to happen to make this a major issue. Essentially, this has become commonplace,” said Gaines.

Effects on Police Officers

The debate is still on whether these steroids can help or harm police officers. There are reports that most officers who are taking steroids are often involved in aggressive arrests. Their judgment may also be affected according to some health experts.

Conte, who have work with so many athletes, knows that using steroids could cause some side effects but contends that some of these effects are overstated. He admits that steroids can have psychological effects such as mood swings or depression, liver damage or high blood pressure. However, it still depends on how much of drug is taken. “I think overall, it’s kind of like alcohol. If you’re a jerk when you’re sober, you’re going to be more of a jerk when you’re using,” he said.

A former police official also told the media that it’s hard to correlate the use of excessive force by law enforcement to steroid use. He said that more study should be conducted on this issue.

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