LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) — A Lafayette Police Officer fired for testing positive for marijuana metabolite, gets his job back.
Former LPD Officer Bernard Anderson argued before the Municipal Fire and Police Civil Service Board that he was using CBD to help him sleep.
Anderson stated that he stood on truth.
“Like I said the only thing I can do is maintain my nerves inside and proceed forward, because at the end of the day I have nothing to lie for,” he said.
According to pre-hearing records, Anderson’s wife, a nurse, brought the CBD home from work.
Last year in December, he completed a required drug screening and the test came back positive for marijuana metabolite.
One board member suggests Lafayette Consolidated Government reconsider its testing process.
“With the technology that’s available with something as innocent as sleep drops,” Board member Christina Olivier added.
The board voted that Anderson’s firing was unjust.
“Bernard is a good officer. He passed the CVAS test. He does not smoke marijuana. He took some sleep medication which is an herbal supplement you can buy at Drug Emporium and for that he lost his job,” Anderson’s attorney Allyson Melancon stated.
Anderson’s mother, Sharon Pete says she’s a former police officer.
Pete says she can tell her son is glad it’s over.
“He’s relieved. He was squeezing me tight. He’s relieved,” Pete explained.
The board’s decision overturns Anderson’s termination and reinstates him with back pay.
“If the policy is going to be no CBD then they just need to say that and they need to educate their employees you can’t take CBD. That’s the end of the story,” Melancon noted.