New technology to help Marion police expedite drug testing

When it comes to making drug arrests, getting results on substances from the lab can be the most crucial, and timely, process.

It could take weeks for law enforcement to get confirmation from big labs about the substances they submitted for testing. This can lead to suspected dealers being released on bond because results were not in before the hearing, and suspected users are delayed in receiving treatment for their possible addiction.

However, in Marion, a new pilot program from the Ohio Attorney General's Office hopes to prove new technology in the law enforcement field can address these long waits. On Thursday morning, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost unveiled the 908 Devices machine, new handheld mass spectrometers that can be used by officers and deputies to conduct lab testing on substances almost immediately.

Now, two officers from the Marion Police Department and two deputies from the Marion County Sheriff's Office will be tasked with learning how to operate the new devices and ultimately conduct small lab tests on possible narcotics to help ensure results can be ready for court hearings.

With these new devices, Marion Police Chief Jay McDonald said it has turned a process that typically takes weeks into just a few minutes. Marion County Sheriff Matt Bayles said this is crucial as it can help ensure criminals stay in jail instead of letting them go while awaiting test results.

On Thursday, the Attorney General's Office demonstrated how the device works and within 15 minutes, the device was able to determine acetaminophen, a common chemical for pain relief found in Tylenol, was in the pill they tested.

In short, law enforcement agents will use a cotton swab to take a small sample of the substance. Then, they would rub that swab onto a testing paper and then rub two more testing papers onto the original testing paper. Each of these three sheets are entered into the device and the tester waits for the results. 

This ensures only miniscule amounts of the substance are tested and provides multiple chances to discover what all is in the substance. Once finished, the devices are able to self-clean as well.

Yost said these devices are highly accurate and reliable as they are able to produce the same results from a big lab, just on a smaller scale. In Marion, the devices will mostly focus on testing for methamphetamine, cocaine and crack-cocaine.

However, with roughly 200 different chemicals listed in the devices library, it is also able to test to see if other substances were used to create or cut the drugs, including fentanyl or other pharmaceuticals. As 908 Devices Vice President John Kenneweg put it; these devices essentially produce a chemical fingerprint for the substances.

Both Yost and McDonald said Marion is somewhat of a ground zero when it comes to illegal drugs. With Marion's connection to US 23, Marion is central between Detroit and Columbus which leads to more drugs coming and going through the county, the two both said.

With Marion's connection to Detroit and Columbus in mind, Yost said he wants to use these devices as proof that they can be used on a national level. His hope is to show these devices are safer for law enforcement use as they don't require high volumes of the substance as well as showing the devices can obtain information faster which can help with the criminal process.

Story by Mitch Hooper | (740)-244-9935 | bhooper@gannett.com | @_MH16 on Twitter

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