The unknown can be dangerous, especially to law enforcement personnel facing unfamiliar chemicals and drugs.
But, although these analyzers help remove the guess work and provide definitive results for confident and efficient decision making, many officers have questions about the technology, usability, their safety, and the ability to use the results in court. We’ve addressed below five frequently asked questions (and answers) about our handheld Raman analyzers that are used by first responders, police, customs and border protection personnel to perform narcotics and chemical identification.
- Does the instrument make it safer for officers to identify narcotics?
- There are several ways the analyzer can help ensure officer safety. The scanning is touchless. The instrument is capable of identifying chemicals through clear and opaque containers, preventing unwanted exposure. Enhanced identification of heroin and other fluorescent materials safeguards against the hazard of exposure. A screener mode takes the guess work out of identifying substances by delivering results as either an alarm, warning, or clear to ensure users know what actions to take.
- Can the handheld Raman analyzer be operated by a wide variety of experience levels?
- Yes. Possessing multiple levels of user access and individual user log-ins, the answer allows any operator, manager, or administrator to get the most out of the device based on their experience level.
- How long does it take to get a result?
- Moments, on average less than 90 seconds.
- Can the results be used in court?
- According to SWG-DRUG, Raman spectroscopy is a means of presumptive field identification. When supported by confirmatory lab testing, the analyzer data can enhance complex prosecutions. (Learn about Raman spectroscopy.)
- The analyzer has a solid chain of custody. A GPS and digital camera is utilized for time and location stamping, a unique user ID and password helps ensure your data is locked and safe, there is user generated meta data and instrument logs showing who scanned what substances and when.
- Can the analyzer identify different chemicals that are more prevalent in different regions?
- Yes. The user-added library enables customers from around the globe to customize the instrument’s spectral library to their unique environment.
You can find more questions and answers here: 1064Defender Handheld Raman Analyzer FAQs
Note: All questions and answers regarding the handheld Raman analyzer refer to the Thermo Scientific™ 1064Defender Raman Analyzer
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