Acquitted Narcotics Officer Failed Drug Test, Will Be Fired Again

Perry Betts | Philadelphia Police Department

Philadelphia Police narcotics officer Perry Betts is in hot water again.

Just back in May, Betts was one of six narcotics unit officers acquitted by a federal jury on corruption charges and, in July, set to be reinstated into his job. Now, before Betts could even officially rejoin the force, he will again be fired after failing a mandatory drug test with marijuana in his system, the Philadelphia Daily News reported Thursday.

Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey told the Daily News that when Betts returns to the office on Monday, he will be suspended for 30 days with the intent to be dismissed. “He will not be able to return,” Ramsey told Daily News. “I’m told he went on vacation and will be back Monday. He will be served on Monday.”

John McNesby, the president of Philadelphia’s chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police, the police officers union, will reportedly not fight for Betts’ job as it did in the federal case. “We’re absolutely, positively doing nothing for him,” McNesby told the Daily News.

Betts was previously given the boot by Ramsey one year ago when the federal charges — which included robbery, racketeering, conspiracy and falsifying police records — came to light; before last year’s incident, Betts had worked for the Philadelphia Police Department for 19 years, the Daily News said.