Sheriff Nettles asked the fiscal court to consider supporting a pilot random drug- and alcohol-testing policy for sworn employees that his office has developed with county staff and Bluegrass Family Health.

Under the plan described by Nettles, approximately 10 percent of sworn deputies would be selected for testing each quarter (about five deputies per quarter). The tests would screen for common substances including marijuana and opioids; Sheriff Nettles said the screening panel would detect marijuana and opioids, but not necessarily newer synthetic products sold in some retail products.

Nettles said the policy is intended to "hold us to a higher standard" and that he does not expect issues within his agency. He asked the court to consider adopting the pilot as a county administrative policy to add credibility and uniformity, though he said the sheriff's office could implement testing independently. "It is a good place to start," Jeff (staff) added when recommending court support and codification in the administrative code.

The court discussed scope and equity across departments. Several members suggested prioritizing safety-sensitive roles (for example, positions with vehicle operation, access to narcotics, or CDL requirements) and piloting testing first with the sheriff's office and the road department because of CDL rules. Members debated whether to extend the pilot to fire and other departments later.

Cost estimates were presented: staff said screening was "surprisingly affordable," reported at about $30.40 per test in the discussion and budgeting roughly $200 per month given the testing cadence and sample numbers (about 20 tests per year under the proposed selection rate). The court also discussed operational logistics such as overtime to accompany third-shift personnel to testing and procedures for handling positive tests.

Members asked how medical marijuana cards would affect the program. Sheriff Nettles said the agency currently does not allow marijuana use for employees given federal law and safety-sensitive duties; the court noted that policy details for legal changes would need to be addressed in the future.

No formal action was taken at the work session. The sheriff will present a draft policy to the court at the upcoming Friday meeting for review and possible adoption as a pilot.