The Warren County District Attorney’s Office has acquired a new tool to assist law enforcement combat drug trafficking.

With funding from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, the drug task force has purchased a TruNarc handheld device that revolutionizes drug detection in the field. The TruNarc system can identify a wide range of controlled substances–including narcotics, stimulants, and hallucinogens–using non-destructive, non-contact scanning.

The device allows officers to test substances directly through plastic or glass containers, significantly reducing exposure to harmful drugs such as fentanyl.

“The safety of the public and our officers is a top priority,” said Cody Brown, county first assistant district attorney. “With the increasing prevalence of drugs like fentanyl in our communities, the TruNarc device gives us a valuable tool to quickly and safely identify substances. This new technology allows us to preserve evidence while minimizing risks to our officers.”

In addition to the TruNarc, the task force has recently purchased license plate readers (LPRs) with assistance from local foundations. The plate readers can help police in drug trafficking and vehicle theft cases. The systems use cameras and specialized software to scan and read vehicle license plates in real time. The readers can scan thousands of vehicles daily and compare them to a database of known vehicles involved in criminal activity. Officers are alerted immediately if a match is found, allowing them to act quickly to prevent potential criminal activity.

“License plate readers significantly enhance the ability of law enforcement agencies to detect and disrupt drug trafficking and vehicle theft,” Brown stated. “Information such as GPS locations, timestamps, and photographs taken by the cameras makes it easier to secure convictions in these types of cases. These devices are crucial to the District Attorney’s Office’s ongoing commitment to making our communities safer and protecting residents from the dangers of drugs and crime.”