Police Juice Up on Steroids to Get 'Edge' on Criminals

**KeithPA** · October 19th, 2007, 11:07 AM

Anyone know where the guy in the first part of the article was from? Said he was in PA.

Matthew, who asked that his name be changed for this article, had experimented with steroids in college. But it wasn't until an enraged criminal swung a crowbar at his fellow officer that he knew he had to buff up on the job.

A six-year veteran of a Pennsylvania police force patrolling an area encroached upon by urban crime, Matthew and his partner struggled for nearly seven minutes to subdue the crazed youth, who was high on PCP and had another officer in a head lock.

Soon after that close call, Matthew turned to illegal anabolic steroids for both strength and self-esteem, a decision for which he paid a heavy price. Two years later, in 2005, he was caught and forced to resign. He spent 23 days in jail.

Matthew's case is just one example in an increasing trend among urban police officers working tough beats. In New York City this week six police officers are being investigated for allegedly using illegal prescriptions to obtain anabolic steroids for bodybuilding.

According to law enforcement experts, Matthew is the prototypical steroid user — in his 30s, white and worried about competing. In Matthew's case, he was trying to stay on top of a job that constantly forced him to face younger and stronger criminals.

"I look back on that and other scuffles, and I was not nearly as tough and strong as I once was," said Matthew, now a 33-year-old single father.

"It scared me to think how easily things could go wrong," said Matthew. "I kept thinking I am only getting older, and the criminals will always be young. I was looking for an edge."

'Juicing' Across the Country
From Boston to Arizona, police departments are investigating a growing number of incidents involving uniformed police officers using steroids. So-called "juicing" has been anecdotally associated with several brutality cases, including the 1997 sodomizing of Haitian immigrant Abner Louima in New York City.

Anabolic steroids are synthesized male sex hormones that promote muscle mass. When prescribed legally, medical steroids are used to treat growth problems in children, anemia and chronic infections like HIV.

Without a prescription, the use of anabolic steroids is illegal. Listed as a Schedule III substance along with morphine, opium and barbiturates, they can be just as psychologically addictive and dangerous.

(Page 1)

http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=3745740&page=1

ETA: Click on the link, there are 4 more pages to this story. I didn't want to copy and past the whole thing as it's really long.

**LorDiego01** · October 19th, 2007, 11:51 AM

So when a cop takes drugs and other illegal substances, he is a victim trying to keep up with criminals?

But when regular Joe does it, he is scum, a dredge of society, and he deserves to spend 1/3 of his life behind bars??

gimme a friggin break...

**righteousbarbarian** · October 19th, 2007, 12:16 PM

So-called "juicing" has been anecdotally associated with several brutality cases, including the 1997 sodomizing of Haitian immigrant Abner Louima in New York City.

this doesn't surprise me, but it highlights why it's so important that the police don't use steroids, in addition to the obvious gross hypocrisy of using illegal drugs and the way it might encourage kids to do it even more.

**djturnz** · October 19th, 2007, 01:16 PM

I read an article about this about a year ago. I think it was in either Men's Health or Concealed Carry handguns magazine.

**brewguy** · October 19th, 2007, 01:30 PM

I really don't see the big deal here. Would everyone be up in arms if he hired a professional trainer and dietician and was lifting weights?

Why do WE care what HE does to his own body, this is a free country. Is the fear he will assult someone? Last I knew that was illegal.

So what if kids see it? The fact is that as you age your test levels drop and you do need some suplimentation. This is why it is important for this to be done through a doctor so everything is done safely. Unfortunately due to our insane media doctors won't prescribe it.

**LittleRedToyota** · October 19th, 2007, 02:23 PM

Originally Posted by brewguy

I really don't see the big deal here.

the big deal is that he is arresting others for using illegal drugs while using them himself.

that is a violation of the most sacred and fundamental principle on which this country is based...rule of law.

now, if this particular officer refused to arrest anyone for using illegal drugs, then i peronally wouldn't have any problem with his using steroids.