Rise in fentanyl trafficking prompts Oregon State Police to drop field tests
State Police Superintendent Travis Hampton told The Oregonian/OregonLive that he decided to halt most field testing in response to concerns raised by troopers. “This was simply a risk mitigation decision to protect our employees (and) their family members that may come in contact with their uniforms and the citizens that may accidentally be exposed to fentanyl during an attempted roadside test,” Hampton said in an email.
Capt. Alex Gardner, who oversees the state police crime lab, recently called fentanyl a “rapidly evolving threat” to Oregonians and police and medical personnel in the state. Cam Strahm, assistant special agent in charge of the DEA’s Portland office, said policing illicit fentanyl and its potent cousins are “one of the highest, if not the highest, priority for the DEA in the state of Oregon.” Last year, the number of fentanyl cases submitted to the state police crime lab for analysis jumped to a record 45. Three years ago, the lab worked just two cases.
Original Article (Oregon Live):
Rise in fentanyl trafficking prompts Oregon State Police to drop field tests
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