Head of New York’s Irish American police group suspended after failed drugs test

Lieutenant Detective Commander Kevin Byrnes is the president of the NYPD Emerald Society for Irish-American police officers.

He has now been suspended without pay for failing a drug test, the New York Post reports – though it is unknown what drug triggered the positive result.

Byrnes has been a member of the NYPD since 1995 and worked in the Central Robbery Division since 2019.

The Emerald Society of the NYPD is a group of Irish-American police officers and have a pipe-and-drums band.

On their website, the band says it was “born and nurtured by a group of men whose undying love and fierce pride in their Celtic Heritage was paramount.”

The Emerald Society says the group of police officers “remain loyal, patriotic Americans and we shall always honor our Irish heritage” that “remains as constant as the green fields of Ireland.”