BERNALILLO COUNTY, N.M. — A New Mexico sheriff’s decision to remove county firefighters from a joint helicopter unit over an off-duty cannabis policy drew strong support from Police1 readers, many of whom said emergency aviation demands a higher safety standard.
Bernalillo County Sheriff John Allen ended the department’s partnership with Bernalillo County Fire and Rescue in late December after the county began allowing most employees to use cannabis while off duty and eliminated random cannabis testing.
Allen said the Metro Air Support Unit’s aviation and rescue work left no room for impairment risk. Firefighters union leaders countered that members assigned to the unit had voluntarily agreed to random testing, but the sheriff declined the arrangement.
The dispute raises a broader question that police and fire agencies continue to face as marijuana legalization expands: Should first responders be allowed to use cannabis on their own time if they report for duty sober, or should the possibility of an unexpected callback mean stricter off-duty rules?
Police1 readers largely sided with Allen. Comments shared on the Police1 Facebook page added another side to the debate, with some questioning whether an employer should control legal conduct outside work.
Police1 readers back the sheriff’s decision
Several Police1 readers said the demands of aviation and emergency response justified Allen’s decision.
“As a former member of several regional (Sheriff’s Search & Rescue) and federal (FEMA USAR) emergency and disaster response teams, with duties including aeromedical op’s, I fully endorse the decision to cut out those county firefighters by Sheriff John Allen. I couldn’t agree with him more.”
The reader cited the possibility of emergency callbacks, the smaller margin for error in aviation and the cost of establishing a new random-testing program.
Several readers said marijuana use was incompatible with public safety work.
“Good move by the sheriff. Marijuana has no place in public safety — on or off duty!”
Another Police1 reader, who said they previously served as a task force officer with an air support unit, also supported the decision.
“Yes, I support the BCSO decision. I was a TFO for an air support unit when I was an active officer. Safety was always a priority.”
Readers point to the possibility of emergency callbacks
Some Police1 readers said off-duty use becomes an on-duty concern when first responders may be recalled without much warning.
One reader reflected on personal experience with both marijuana and alcohol before explaining why they abstained during a law enforcement career.
“They never know when they might be called to duty and they might be under the influence when so called. For this reason, during my law enforcement career, I never used marijuana or alcohol at all.”
Another commenter focused on reaction time and the potential risk to coworkers and the public.
“Cannabis use slows down reaction time. This is a detriment to the safety of the public and fellow responders.”
Would random testing solve the problem?
The firefighters union proposed a memorandum of understanding under which Metro Air Support Unit members would voluntarily undergo random urine and breath testing. A member who tested positive would be removed from the unit and permanently disqualified from returning.
One Police1 reader said the proposal would do little to address impairment immediately before an unexpected deployment.
“The problem with the firefighter’s union asking for random testing is that it is only good AFTER the fact. If there’s an emergency and people have to dispatch quickly, you can’t test everyone a split second before takeoff to see if they’ve been smoking weed lately.”
The reader continued:
“They can test clean on Monday, smoke on Tuesday, then deploy on Wednesday, or worse, later Tuesday evening. How can supposedly educated people think this is OK?”
Allen ultimately removed the county firefighters from the unit and replaced them with University of New Mexico Hospital personnel. The Sheriff’s Office said the change did not affect the unit’s capabilities.
Facebook commenters defend legal off-duty use
Comments posted on Police1’s Facebook page were more divided. Some agreed that cannabis had no place in public safety, while others said the policy should focus on whether an employee is impaired at work.
“As long as they are not under the influence during duty or respond to a call while under the influence of Cannabis or alcohol, i see zero issues. I dont understand why they have the right to control what they do on their own time if it is legal.”
Another Facebook commenter rejected the view that cannabis use should automatically disqualify an experienced first responder.
“Cannabis isn’t the bad guy here anymore. Just my .02 cents having been in the game for 31 years.”
The county policy was intended to allow most employees, including first responders, to use cannabis while off duty. When commissioners approved the change, supporters said first responders should be able to consult health care providers about cannabis as a possible treatment for post-traumatic stress and other conditions.
Facebook commenters raise liability concerns
Other Facebook commenters questioned what could happen if cannabis were detected after a crash or workplace accident, even if the employee was not impaired at the time.
“Here’s another issue no one is thinking about. Marijuana stays in the blood for up to 12 hours and the THC can be detected 7 days or longer. So if a workplace accident were to occcur, they would be required to do a toxicology.”
Another Facebook commenter raised concerns about cannabis use around helicopter operations.
“Just what we need: A helicopter pilot with weed in his system flying in high winds while helping ground crews battling a wildfire. What could possibly go wrong . . . .”
The firefighters removed from the unit were not identified as its pilots. The Metro Air Support Unit used Sheriff’s Office pilots and deputies alongside Fire and Rescue personnel who provided medical and rescue expertise.
Across both sets of comments, readers disagreed over whether first responders should be judged only on whether they report for duty impaired or held to a stricter off-duty standard because they may be called back with little notice.
Should legal off-duty cannabis use disqualify a first responder from certain assignments? Share your thoughts below.
