NORTH Wales Police chief constable Richard Brunstrom was challenged to prove he is drug-free this week - and he accepted. During a meeting at Rhyl Town Hall, Mr Brunstrom took a drugs test following a "dare" from well-known cannabis campaigner Jeffrey Ditchfield. He challenged the chief to go through one of five drug saliva probes. The analysis failed to produce a result, but Mr Brunstrom said he would gladly take another in public when the force introduces its random test policy in the next few months. The £17 drug test kit was purchased by Mr Ditchfield from the Hunter Diagnostics website. It checked for traces of cocaine, speed, cannabis, amphetamines and opiates. It had to be kept in the mouth of Mr Brunstrom for 10 minutes. Mr Brunstrom, who gave up the test after it failed to provide a result and confessed to having a drink of wine the night before, said he would not have a problem taking another trial. "We are still debating this in the force, but we will be introducing a form of random drug testing," he added. "It is about figuring out the details of who gets tested. "As a police force we ought to be tested for drugs. It is likely within an organisation like ours there will be people taking drugs. "It does depend on the circumstances of whether it should be random testing or not. "It would also depend on the department as we could not have our firearms section on drugs. It will be a few months before this testing is introduced." Referring to the test he had just taken, he said: "I am not sure why this test did not work, but when we do have a drugs policy in place I will take one of these tests in public. "I am drug-free, so I have nothing to fear." Mr Ditchfield, who runs the Beggars Belief drugs paraphernalia shop in Water Street, Rhyl, and has led a high-profile campaign to legalise cannabis, said he was pleased the chief constable was willing to take the test. "If the police reflects the make-up of society then there are bound to be drug addicts in the force. "I am glad we have a chief constable with the balls to take this test." | 
