Sentinel Project to help detect dangerous drugs in Arkansas

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – A new project is making it easier to detect and analyze dangerous substances, hoping to keep narcotics and other drugs off the streets – and out of schools.

The Arkansas Opioid Recovery Partnership just launched its Sentinel Project, which will provide schools, colleges and law enforcement Tru-Narc Handheld Narcotics Analyzers.

The devices can identify dangerous substances within seconds and can even be used through a plastic bag.

Advocates say not only will this speed up the justice process, providing concrete evidence immediately, but by not requiring bags of possible narcotics to be opened, the devices can also save lives.

“It allows us to keep it in the plastic, in the bag so it’s safer for the community and it’s safer for the deputies and officers, law enforcement, to lower their risk of exposure,” Lonoke County Sheriff’s Department Sgt. Tonya Soule said.

Sentinel was created with the help of opioid settlement dollars.

The Tru-Narc devices are already being used in some agencies across the state.

For more information about the Arkansas Opioid Recovery Partnership or to apply for the Sentinel Project, visit ARORP.org .

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