My name is Frankie F. Palaguachi, a former New York City Police Officer who was unjustly terminated after a disputed hair drug test — a test that is now under formal review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for being unauthorized and unreliable in detecting marijuana use.

My attorney Eric Sanders, Esq., of The Sanders Firm, P.C., filed a Citizen Petition with the FDA on my behalf, challenging the NYPD’s use of the Psychemedics Corporation’s immunoassay device (510(k) K111929). While this device was cleared for use in serum, plasma, saliva, and urine testing under 21 C.F.R. § 862.3870, it was never authorized for hair testing. Yet, for decades, the NYPD and other agencies have relied on it to decide who gets hired, disciplined, or terminated.

The same laboratory device used in my case — made by Psychemedics Corporation — has never been approved by the FDA for hair testing, according to a citizen petition filed on October 16, 2025 by the group Harmed Americans for Reform in Medical Device Safety (HARMS). That petition asks the FDA to recognize that this device was misused nationwide in workplaces and police agencies.

I served the people of New York City with integrity and honor. I never used any prohibited substance, and multiple independent laboratory tests contradicted the NYPD’s results. Despite this, I was terminated based solely on a test that federal regulators now recognize may have been misused and scientifically invalid.

Hair testing for marijuana cannot distinguish between secondhand exposure and actual use, and it has long been criticized for its racial bias, scientific unreliability, and lack of federal approval. This issue goes far beyond my individual case — it exposes a systemic failure that has affected countless dedicated public servants.

My case is now under review by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), is part of the FDA’s federal investigation, and will soon be the subject of an Article 78 petition challenging the NYPD’s reliance on this unapproved testing method.

I’m asking for your support to demand that:

The NYPD reinstate me with full back pay and benefits pending review;
The City of New York suspend all hair drug testing until the FDA issues its final ruling; and
Public employers ensure that only federally approved and scientifically reliable testing methods are used in employment decisions.

This fight isn’t just about one officer — it’s about fairness, accountability, and truth. No one should lose their career, reputation, or future because of a device that was never approved for the way it was used.

Please sign and share this petition to help restore justice, protect others from the same injustice, and stand for scientific and ethical integrity in law enforcement.

Thank you for your support,

Frankie F. Palaguachi