The patrol officer is a valuable asset to the enforcement of controlled substance laws. The street officer who knows the drug dealers and associates will only enhance the effectiveness in dealing with the crimes connected to the drug trade. Officers gain this knowledge by learning and comprehending the narcotics laws.
All officers should become knowledgeable of, and proficient in executing local, state, and federal drug laws.
General:
Always avoid skin contact with unknown drugs. LSD can be found in strange forms and is often on plain paper of blotters. With the new inventions of designer drugs, and with the drug trafficker’s imaginations, most drugs have been able to be disguised as just about anything.
After any contact with drugs or any suspected drugs, wash your hands thoroughly before resuming duty. When drugs cannot be readily identified, place the suspect on the hold book for possession of a controlled substance.
When conducting searches of known or suspected drug users, be extremely careful on both pat down and strip searches. Sticking one’s finger even slightly with a dirty needle may cause dangerous infectious diseases such as HIV or hepatitis. In the event of such an injury, the officer should report immediately to her/his supervisor and seek medical attention. Under questionable situations, a member of the narcotics unit should be called to assist in the investigation.
Investigators’ Responsibilities:
It will be the responsibility of all narcotic investigators to conduct follow-up investigations and develop independent information to a point of arrest, and to obtain and execute search warrants related to these cases. They shall then confiscate all illegal drugs, interview prisoners, suspects, and witnesses. Seizure notices will be given to all appropriate parties. Finally, they will coordinate the case files and testify in court.
Investigators will assist the patrol operations division upon request at any drug-related call. They will supervise activity at the crime scene; identify drugs found and follow-up on any information received.
Narcotics unit investigators shall perform all presumptive drugs testing for all suspected controlled substances recovered where criminal charges are being sought for a violation of controlled substance laws. No other persons are authorized to conduct such testing.
1. Narcotics hold book officers will be trained and certified to conduct presumptive testing.
2. These tests will be conducted in a controlled environment and in accordance with the training and standards of the Narcotics Identification Kit (NIK) Poly-testing System.
3. Investigators who have a case involving suspected controlled substance violations can request testing by the narcotics unit via an email to SPPD-narcotics@ci.stpaul.mn.us.
4. Please specify the following in the email:
- 1. Case number
- 2. Item Number
- 3. Description of item to be tested
- 4. How quickly the item needs to be tested
- 5. An email address where the results report should be sent
Use of Presumptive Drug Testing Kits (NIK):
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Only those trained and certified in the use of the NIK test are authorized by the department to use them.
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Only NIK tests issued from the property room are to be used for any testing of suspected controlled substances in cases for the Saint Paul Police.
There are two different authorized levels of user for the NIK test.
• Level 1 are those who have been trained and authorized by the department to use the NIK test as a presumptive test for hold-book/charging/seizure purposes. This level is restricted to the narcotic hold-book officers and the narcotic case agents when they fill in for hold-book officers. They are the only persons authorized to use the NIK test for the presumptive charging test and/or to use the NIK test as a presumptive test for seizure cases.
• Level 2 are those who have been trained and authorized by the department to use the NIK test strictly for the testing of drugs as part of an application for a search warrant or field testing where the result will not be used as part of the charging of a case. Those using the kits for these purposes will adhere to the standard operating procedures (SOP) provided and trained to during the certification process.
The presumptive testing for charging or seizure purposes must be done in a controlled environment which has been set up in a secured area within the property room. The SOP's set forth as part of the training and certification process are to be followed for NIK testing and documented in detail in the police reports. These SOP’s will be posted in this secured area within property room.
Once a case is charged the narcotics hold-book personnel will arrange for the drugs to be brought to the BCA for final testing. The narcotics unit will track the results of the NIK tests they do and the final results from the BCA. These results will be sent to the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office twice yearly.
Under no circumstances are any police personnel to use a NIK test kit without training, certification and authorization from the department. A list of certified persons will be retained in the training unit records. The narcotics unit commander will be responsible for coordinating and providing annual training sessions to certify users for this program. This training will be offered to both new and certified NIK users as needed.
NIK Kits are available from the property room. Only the supervisor of a unit that has personnel who have been trained and certified may report to the property room to obtain NIK test kits. This supervisor will be responsible for the dissemination of the kits to only those trained and authorized in their use.
The officer will test suspected marijuana using the Duquenois Reagent and document in a police report when:
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An arrest and/or citation is issued for misdemeanor or petty misdemeanor of marijuana.
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An arrest or citation is made regardless of the crime when the probable cause is based on small amount of marijuana found.
The Duquenois Reagent will be available in the report writing room and the property room locker area. The supplies can be requested through the forensic services unit.
Investigators will assist and advise other agencies, metropolitan, state, and federal whose narcotic investigations bring them into the City of Saint Paul and ensure that local laws and policy are complied with.
Updated February 1, 2019