New Drug Testing Kits Launched

Fri, 19 June 2009 Courtesy of: Suffolk Police

Until now if you were arrested for drugs possession but didn't admit the offence the substance found would have to be sent off for testing to determine if it was a drug and, if so, what drug it was.

This meant a time delay while officers waited for the official result and the cost implication of sending the sample away for official testing and certification.

The kits, which came into use in the county at the end of May 2009, mean officers who have been trained will be able to test a tiny amount of the substance straight away - and get an immediate result that can be used as evidence in a possession case at a magistrate's court.

More than 30 police officers and staff from the Constabulary's Offender Management Units and District Support Teams have been trained to carry out the tests, which should ensure the kits can be used at locations across Suffolk, day or night.

The two kits - one designed to test for drugs including heroin and amphetamine, the other for cocaine - work comparatively simply. In one a tiny amount of the substance is placed into a small plastic bag and then a capsule of the indicator chemical liquid broken inside the bag. The liquid then changes colour according to the type of drug present.

In the other a tiny amount of the substance is placed in a small bottle with a chemical liquid and shaken. A few drops are then placed on an indicator slide (which appears similar to a pregnancy testing kit) and lines appear to indicate a positive result for cocaine.

Detective Chief Inspector Steve Mattin said the kits would have many benefits.

"While the kits have been trialled in other force areas, Suffolk will be one of the first in the country to use them as standard. Although officers have been able to test substances previously the results could only be used in evidence if the suspect admitted possessing the drug. If they disputed it the substance would have to be sent away for forensic testing with all the costs that entails.

"The kits will represent a big saving for the Constabulary, cutting the costs of forensic submissions, and the time between arrest and charge."

Dr Simon Bramble, Head of Police Science and Forensics Unit at the NPIA, said: "We congratulate Suffolk Police on moving quickly to allow officers in police stations to use this technology and urge more forces around the country to do the same. By doing so, they will enable more officers to do more front-line policing, so better serving their community, saving themselves significant resources and bringing drug offenders to justice quickly.

"The EDIT process has been used successfully by drugs officers for a number of years for those pleading guilty. This has saved millions of pounds and hundreds of hours for forces across the country by showing quickly that someone is in possession of drugs whilst in custody. Its speedy results also mean the police can complete the necessary paperwork in one session so saving vital police resources, reducing the time between arrest and conviction and preventing someone jumping bail."