To aid patrol officers in suspected drug cases, the Daleville Police Department Investigation Division has purchased $400 worth of narcotics test kits to help officers identify certain drugs and make immediate arrests.
The kits contain 12 pocket-sized individual pouches that are filled with chemical vials designed to react to certain types of drugs by changing colors.
Police use the pouches to test narcotics discovered in someone's possession.
"If they recover narcotics or what they (believe is) narcotics they can put it into the test kits and it will identify what (type of) drug it is," Investigator Sgt. Stacey Austin said.
The way it works is a small portion of narcotics is dropped into the pouch, police close the bag, snap the capsules and release the chemicals inside.
Once activated, the tests can detect cocaine, methamphetamine, marijuana, heroin and ecstasy.
Austin said the Investigation Division purchased the kits to help field officers properly and quickly identify certain drugs.
However, the analysis won't prevent the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences from testing the confiscated drugs for court trials, but will allow officers to quickly test the drugs to determine what type of narcotics it is and make the necessary arrest.
Austin said a total of 10 kits were purchased using drug seizure funds, which is money used in narcotics sales confiscated during a traffic stop or drug bust.
Until now, Austin said investigations has been the only division to carry the field test kits.
"(Patrol officers) would come to us and we'd give them one or two each, but they haven't had a full kit where they can keep it organized, and (everything) is all labeled nice and neat," he said.
Austin said he's not sure how long the kits will last, but the department will always carry refills.
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