For City Council Meeting [May 12, 2020]
TO: Honorable City Council
APPROVAL: Rod Foster, City Manager
FROM: Mark P. Kling, Chief of Police
Title
Request City Council to Approve the Purchase of two (2) TruNarc Handheld Narcotics Analyzers from Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc. in the Amount of $56,282.14.
(ACTION)
Body
BACKGROUND
The recent epidemic of fentanyl-related overdose deaths poses a serious safety risk for first responders. Sworn employees regularly come into contact with unknown substances in the course of their daily duties. The TruNarc Handheld Narcotics Analyzer offers officers protection from dangerous substances, including fentanyl.
ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid prescribed for treating severe pain. It is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine and is lethal in extremely small doses. Illegally produced fentanyl is commonly mixed with heroin and cocaine to increase their euphoric effects. Synthetic opioid overdoses cause tens of thousands of deaths annually across the nation.
The risk of fentanyl exposure in law enforcement is especially prevalent during the handling of drugs found during the course of officers' duties. Fentanyl is commonly found in odorless powder form and a small lethal dose can be unknowingly inhaled, ingested, or transferred through the skin. This risk can be minimized by the safe and accurate identification of drugs without handling and exposure.
The TruNarc Handheld Narcotics Analyzer is a handheld device for presumptive testing of narcotics, and it can identify controlled substances, precursors and cutting agents. It also can identify emerging threats such as fentanyl and bath salts. TruNarc utilizes non-contact, non-destructive sampling for most samples. The user can scan directly through plastic bags or glass containers to minimize contamination, reduce exposure and preserve evidence. The TruNarc Handheld Narcotics Analyzer increases officer safety in the field and reduces potential co...
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