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Steroid Probe Clears Police

Posted on: Sunday, 19 March 2006, 03:03 CST

By STEPHANIE SLATER Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Two police officers have been cleared of allegations that they illegally purchased anabolic steroids from a Deerfield Beach pharmacy under federal investigation, according to an internal affairs report released Thursday.

However, Sgt. Russ Mager and officer Gerry Rich did buy the steroids from PowerMedica without ever meeting or being evaluated by the prescribing doctor, the investigation revealed.

By law, they didn't have to.

"I find this extremely difficult to understand and even more difficult to accept that members of this department would not have those same concerns," Police Chief Larry Schroeder wrote in his review of the investigation. "I hope and pray that something can be done to rectify this loophole before someone dies."

Police are still reviewing a claim that a third city officer illegally bought the prescription drugs. Police would not disclose the officer's name.

The investigation into Mager's steroid use was prompted by an anonymous phone call in June, police said. Sheriff Ric Bradshaw called Schroeder in August when Rich's name surfaced in PowerMedica's customer files, which were seized by Food and Drug Administration agents in February 2005.

The company, which is accused of selling anabolic steroids and human growth hormone without a valid doctor's prescription, was later shut down.

Mager, 40, and Rich, 34, had no reason to believe PowerMedica was running an illegal operation, the internal affairs report noted.

They individually researched the company and found it was licensed by the state as a pharmacy.

During each of their visits, people in lab coats milled about the building.

After meeting with an adviser, each filled out an application and had blood drawn.

Several days later they were told a doctor reviewed the results and prescribed the drugs.

Neither spoke with nor met the doctor, though Mager researched the physician and found he was licensed in New York, the report shows.

The investigation exonerated Mager of wrongdoing. The claim against Rich was found to be unsustained. It is not clear why either needed to use the prescription drugs.

Schroeder pointed out that Rich never sought medical treatment or advice from his primary care physician about his health issue.

"Even more concerning . . . was the fact that Officer Rich became aware of PowerMedica through a men's muscle magazine," Schroeder wrote. "Although it was not proven, both of these concerns raise questions as to the validity of the explanation provided during this investigation."

Schroeder planned to ask the city manager to make changes to the department's drug testing policies for present and future employees, according to the report. He also wants to change the department's reporting requirements about certain prescription drugs.

In January, 13 West Palm Beach police officers were suspended after an internal affairs investigation found they bought anabolic steroids and human growth hormone from PowerMedica.

The police union maintains that the officers did nothing wrong because they did not realize the steroids were not being prescribed properly.

The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office also investigated four of its deputies in connection with the same federal PowerMedica probe.

Two of the deputies were given a one-day suspension for failing to alert their supervisors that they were using prescription drugs.

- stephanie_slater@pbpost.com

PalmBeachPost.com/blogs Behind the Yellow Tape:

Check out dispatches from Palm Beach Post crime reporter Andrew Marra.

Source: Palm Beach Post

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