Sponsored by DetectaChem
By Yoona Ha, Police1 BrandFocus Staff
Since the early 1970s, presumptive field tests have been used to aid law enforcement officials move suspects from suspicion to conviction. Among these drug field tests, color-change tests (also known as color tests) are the most commonly used, but they come with unique challenges that have made some officers wary of using them.
Police1 asked officers in March, 2019 to weigh in on the biggest challenges they face with field drug tests. Among the 301 officers polled, 99% said they used color tests, and around 89% said they use them anywhere from once a day to at least once a month.
The biggest challenges associated with these tests, according to the survey respondents, are the following:
- Risk of exposure (63%)
- Confusing degree of color change (56%)
- Substance deterioration risk (20%)
- Interpretation subjectivity due to lighting conditions (16%)
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