Health and police officers

An important requirement of most employment positions involving police officers is the validity of driving privileges. And a requirement of a driver's license is that the driver must be in good health. If health changes after a driver's license is issued, the person should stop driving.

One example where this requirement kicks in for any driver is vision. If a driver's sight becomes impaired, he should stop driving. We initially might tend to think that vision changes affect only the elderly, such as when a senior citizen is affected by glaucoma or macular degeneration.

Another example is when a person's general physical health is affected.

Recently an area police officer reportedly suffered a seizure while on duty and during a traffic stop. The motorist supposedly used the officer's radio to summon assistance.

The logical question is, was it the officer's first seizure? If not, to what extent was he under a doctor's care? Was he taking medication to prevent seizures? And had he reported his health condition to his police department?

A risk of seizure might automatically be a disqualifying health condition for a police officer assigned to patrol or any function in which he was expected to operate a motor vehicle or carry a firearm.

While an officer's health condition is probably considered a "personnel" matter and privileged as confidential information, departments have the obligation to give superior consideration to the safety of the public, as well as the safety of its employee officer.

What procedures do area departments have for taking officers off the streets, while they are suffering from and recovering from a serious health impairment?