Police might employ chemists to ease backlog of drug analysis

[JoshE]

POLICE have considered employing their own chemists and scientists to analyse drug samples from clandestine laboratories, amid court delays caused by an 18-month backlog of ChemCentre reports.

WA Police today said they were awaiting analysis of 48 cases, some dating back as far as 2005.

In addition, another 45 cases that require further investigation by police are being held at the ChemCentre in Bentley
before reports are completed.

Assistant Commissioner Wayne Gregson said there was widespread concern about the delays in processing samples from suburban illicit drug manufacture, but attributed the backlog to the huge spike in the number of clandestine laboratories that had been uncovered in the past two years.

"In some cases, we are waiting for reports dating back 18 months or more,'' Mr Gregson said.

"We are working with the ChemCentre to expedite the process, but we are concerned that there have been a number of delays of judicial proceedings because of the wait for reports from the ChemCentre.

"The courts require a full report on those laboratories so we are working on what constitutes a good report and what can be done in a timely way. But we are concerned with the delays on some of the reports.

"We have explored the possibility of engaging our own chemists, but acknowledge the need for independence, so have decided against that avenue at this stage.''

But Mr Gregson said there were also some cost-prohibitive factors in the plan, including providing proper scientific equipment and training.

Last year, WA Police uncovered 125 drug labs a five-fold increase from 29 in 2008. So far this year, 113 labs have been found.

Opposition police spokeswoman Margaret Quirk said the delays were unacceptable and hindered the justice process.

"These unacceptable delays have a flow on effect,'' Ms Quirk said.

"If the results of analysis aren't forthcoming then that creates serious difficulty in proceeding to trial. Justice delayed is justice denied.''

ChemCentre forensic science chief Colin Priddis said there had been an unprecedented rise in the number of clan labs in WA in the past two years and that increase had impacted resources.

"ChemCentre receives funding from WA Police for all clan lab operations,'' he said.

"Since early 2010, ChemCentre has been in negotiations for increased funding to resource a response to the extra demand,'' Mr Priddis said.

(Source - www.Perthnow.com.au)

Not sure if this is of any interest but i thought id post it anyway...

 

[Sameria]

Thanks for posting JosheE :D

Just goes to show how useless the war on drugs really is!
Supply will always be there if demand is (which it always will be). With all these RC's and unknowns floating around they'd want to have any acedemic they can get their hands on.

 

[footscrazy]

I thought it was fairly easy to get chemical analysis done on drugs, but I guess analysing precursors and intermediate steps is a bit more difficult.
You'd want to hope they're doing it carefully, because getting amounts or chemicals wrong could significantly alter the charge

 

[phase_dancer]

I thought it was fairly easy to get chemical analysis done on drugs, but I guess analysing precursors and intermediate steps is a bit more difficult.
You'd want to hope they're doing it carefully, because getting amounts or chemicals wrong could significantly alter the charge

Normally the only laboratories involved in handling suspected illicit drugs are forensics. That means if you wish to verify an analytical result, you are basically forced to use another lab in another state. As for doing it carefully.... ideally, imo, there would be independent laboratories offering such services.

As for profiling; it can take a bit of time, but impurities and side reaction products do show up and can be accurately identified, which in turn usually makes proving a certain method was used a fairly simple exercise.

 

[S.M.F.G]

soz if its a little off topic, But im not @ all surprised. Lazy stupid pigas would do anything to make thier job easier.
Hope the majority of chemists tell them to go and get fucked

 

[L3inad]

soz if its a little off topic, But im not @ all surprised. Lazy stupid pigas would do anything to make thier job easier.
Hope the majority of chemists tell them to go and get fucked

Very off topic, and very unconstructive.

If you were in jail awaiting a trial being help up by a backlog in forensics labs, wouldnt you preffer that your case were out sourced for a quicker trial instead of being detained indefinately for what might not even result in a guilty verdict?

Maybe try thinking a bit more before you make posts like that 8)

 

[thestudent14]

Very off topic, and very unconstructive.

If you were in jail awaiting a trial being help up by a backlog in forensics labs, wouldnt you preffer that your case were out sourced for a quicker trial instead of being detained indefinately for what might not even result in a guilty verdict?

Maybe try thinking a bit more before you make posts like that 8)

Haha, This is a fine post. I'm sure if one of us got busted having MDMA pills we'd be more then happy for them to be found out as something else which is "considdered" to be less harmful/Illegal.

 

[DiGiTaL-CoRRuPTioN]

Not if you didn't meet bail

 

[HyperVectra]

So much for a right to a speedy trial!

 

[S.M.F.G]

Very off topic, and very unconstructive.

If you were in jail awaiting a trial being help up by a backlog in forensics labs, wouldnt you preffer that your case were out sourced for a quicker trial instead of being detained indefinately for what might not even result in a guilty verdict?

Maybe try thinking a bit more before you make posts like that 8)

When put in that context, it sways my minds judgement.... i sped thru the article, wrote some hatespeech, and yer didnt stop and think.
all aoplogies

 

[big plums]

I thought it was fairly easy to get chemical analysis done on drugs, but I guess analysing precursors and intermediate steps is a bit more difficult.
You'd want to hope they're doing it carefully, because getting amounts or chemicals wrong could significantly alter the charge

please correct me if im wrong but gone are the days of only being charged with the amount of "pure" in how ever much your pinched with

 

[wazza]

please correct me if im wrong but gone are the days of only being charged with the amount of "pure" in how ever much your pinched with

Might be a grey area but I do recall some people with "bunk" stuff being charged with chems as if it was the "real thing". I.e just say they had 20 panadol 'defaced' to look like an "ecstasy" pill and they were charged with supply/etc of mdma/ecstasy. Don't know when/how long ago it was but I'd say it was 3-6 years ago, so it's been more than just recent that people were charged with intent to sell a drug when it wasn't a drug in reality. Hey, placebo may really be THAT strong?! Worked for noobs from Carl Williams' "eckies"

 

[L3inad]

When put in that context, it sways my minds judgement.... i sped thru the article, wrote some hatespeech, and yer didnt stop and think.
all aoplogies

Hehe all good mate.

Pleased to note I can sway judgment to a positive context