Topeka ? Required drug testing for all officers and merging the drug units at the police department and Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office topped the list of suggestions from a city-appointed task force.

Led by former Kansas Bureau of Investigation Deputy Director Terry Knowles, the task force was asked to review policies and procedures of the police department’s drug unit after officers were accused of misconduct. The task force announced its recommendations Thursday.

Dist. Atty. Robert Hecht released a report in October that said narcotics officers regularly tampered with drug evidence and falsified records.

One month earlier, former Topeka police officer Thomas Pfortmiller was sentenced to 16 months in prison for stealing thousands of dollars intended for undercover drug buys and using the money to support a gambling habit. His former partner, Bruce Voigt, faces 144 criminal counts, including perjury, falsifying evidence, official misconduct, theft and promoting obscenity.

Appearing at a news conference Thursday, acting city manager Neil Dobler said acting Police Chief Steve Harsha would report to the City Council on a monthly basis about efforts to make the changes.

“We certainly don’t want this report to go on the shelf and start gathering dust,” Dobler said.

The report’s first recommendation is that the Topeka Police Department replace its one-person internal affairs unit – which is saddled with such unrelated tasks as crime prevention, recruitment and hiring – with a larger Office of Professional Responsibility.