Living with Diabetes

Throughout the country, men and women with diabetes like Jeff Kapche are helping to keep our communities safe by working as law enforcement officers.

The American Diabetes Association worked with the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) to create a National Consensus Guideline for the Medical Evaluation of Law Enforcement Officers for individuals with diabetes who wish to work as law enforcement officers (LEOs). Diabetes should not be considered an automatic disqualifying condition, but rather, each LEO with diabetes must be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

The Consensus Guideline states that “current published data suggest that persons with diabetes who can safely and effectively function as LEOs can be readily identified through careful individualized assessment. Thus blanket bans of all people with diabetes, in addition to being illegal, are not consistent with current medical knowledge.”

The diabetes standard is located at Section 4.3 of the Consensus Guideline and includes:

• Medical Evaluation of LEO
• Appendix A – Commentary
• Appendix B – Physician Evaluation form for Law Enforcement Officers with Diabetes

For additional information or to speak with a Legal Advocate about employment discrimination, call 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383).