DRINKING BY POLICE OFFICERS, GENERAL DRIVERS AND LATE-NIGHT DRIVERS

Objective: This study compares police officers' reported alcohol use w ith similar reports from age- and gender-matched samples from the gene ral driving population (GDP) and drivers recruited at high-risk hours who are most likely to drink and drive (roadside drivers). Method: Dat a were derived from interviews with 239 police officers who spent at l east 5% of their time on alcohol or traffic enforcement; 243 subjects from the GDP, selected by random-digit dialing; and 249 drivers recrui ted at roadside on Friday and Saturday nights between 10:00 PM and 3:0 0 AM. Results: Officers report drinking less frequently and in smaller quantities than either of the driver samples. Differences between pol ice and general drivers are modest: e.g., usual frequency of drinking (1 to <3 vs 3 or 4 times/month: p less than or equal to.001) and numbe r of days/average month with greater than or equal to 2 drinks/day (me an = 2.5[+/-3.4] vs 4.9[+/-6.5]; p less than or equal to.001). There a re greater differences between police officers and roadside drivers: e .g., 14.2% and 2.4%, respectively, abstain (vs 15.6% of general driver s; police vs general drivers, NS; police and general drivers vs roadsi de drivers, p less than or equal to.001). Conclusions: The data sugges t that officers' drinking differs significantly from that of drivers m ost likely to be driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI). If this is so, police training programs pertaining to DUI and other alcohol-r elated offenses should pay explicit attention to the effects of alcoho l and not assume that all officers have experienced them.