Content provided by Lightsense Technology
As the fentanyl crisis continues to escalate across the country, frontline officers face growing risks when encountering unknown substances during traffic stops, searches or calls for service. Traditional drug detection methods have often required direct contact with potentially lethal narcotics — putting officer safety in jeopardy. But advancements in technology are changing the game.
Among these innovations is the DrugDetect-F1 from Lightsense Technology, a device that allows officers to test for fentanyl and methamphetamine without opening packaging or risking exposure. In this article, we explore six key ways this advanced technology is transforming officer safety and setting new standards for field drug detection.
1. Contactless detection
Law Enforcement has previously relied on colorimetric testing kits to test street drugs while in the field. These kits required officers to remove a sample from its packaging and conduct a field chemistry test. This open-aired drug handling caused safety concerns for officers. The kits are also subject to expiration and inaccuracy due to the subtle techniques required for an accurate result — so officers can risk exposure with no assurance of a legitimate result. They were unknowingly inhaling or touching hazardous synthetic opioids such as fentanyl.
Now, some advanced drug detection devices offer contactless detection, mitigating risks associated with accidental officer exposure. These devices utilize spectroscopy, illuminating the samples with specific wavelengths to determine their chemical compositions. With this technology, officers can safely detect dangerous substances within found powders or crushed pills through thin, clear plastic, eliminating the risk of inhalation or direct contact.
2. Advanced precision
Handheld drug detection devices currently on the market typically utilize Raman or infrared spectroscopy. This technology is capable of detecting fentanyl concentrations of down to 5-10 percent within crushed pills or powders.
However, Lightsense Technology has unveiled a new award-winning handheld product to the market: the DrugDetect-F1, which can detect fentanyl concentrations down to 0.5 percent. Given that a fatal dose of fentanyl is about 2 mg, or approximately 2 percent of a typical (100-120 mg) street pill, this increased specificity is crucial for ensuring the safety of officers. With the DrugDetect-F1, frontline officers can have the security of knowing they are detecting concentrations of fentanyl that no other device can detect.
3. Real-time results
Another key feature of the DrugDetect-F1is its ability to deliver reliable, real-time results for the presence of methamphetamine and/or fentanyl within seconds with the push of a button.
Standing out from other drug detection devices, the DrugDetect-F1 is the only handheld device on the market that can deliver results without delays, such as warm-up times or database connections. Quick detection is extremely important for the safety of officers working in the field — whether they come across substances during a roadside stop, prison cell inspection or campus safety initiative.
4. Easy to use
To unlock the broadest safety profile for frontline officers, it’s important the technology is easy to use.
The DrugDetect-F1 requires minimal training to get started, as it was designed with the frontline officer in mind. Operating the device is simple: officers simply need to attend to the sample preparation as needed. If a powder is found, ensure it is in the proper clear, thin, polyethylene bag. Officers should use the provided pill crusher to crush the substance into a fine powder. Next, officers extend the light shield, place it perpendicular over a half-inch square of the substance, initiate detection at the click of a button and look for a red light indicating a positive result. The DrugDetect-F1 will offer a positive or negative result for methamphetamine or fentanyl within seconds.
5. Portability and reliability
Advancements in portability have promised easier access to safety for frontline officers. The DrugDetect-F1 is the size of a smartphone, easily fitting in a patrol car glove compartment. It was created with portability and the frontline officer’s safety in mind; therefore, the device is highly durable and rugged. Lightsense designed the device to work every time, ensuring every officer facing an unknown substance can safely detect fentanyl wherever they go.
6. Cost effectiveness
Higher price points for current handheld drug detection devices can inhibit access to safety in the field. Using technology honed over 40 iterations, Lightsense has created the DrugDetect-F1 to be much less expensive than other current handheld options; it is offered at a price point many times lower than some competitors (at $9,000 MSRP). Additionally, the DrugDetect-F1 requires no additional ongoing payments to operate the device, though purchasing an extended warranty is recommended. Lightsense designed the DrugDetect-F1 with cost effectiveness and cost of ownership in mind, making it feasible for departments to outfit more officers and providing more access to safety for the first responder community.
With improvements in portable contactless detection, precision and rapid results, Lightsense’s new handheld drug detection technology is redefining frontline officer safety with the DrugDetect-F1.