UCA Police Department chosen as Sentinel Project Recipient

The University of Central Arkansas Police Department announced that it was recently selected to participate in the Arkansas Opioid Recovery Partnership Sentinel Project and has received a Thermo Scientific TruNarc Handheld Analyzer to conduct field-based presumptive exams on suspected narcotics, precursors and cutting agents.

Press Release

The University of Central Arkansas Police Department announced that it was recently selected to participate in the Arkansas Opioid Recovery Partnership Sentinel Project and has received a Thermo Scientific TruNarc Handheld Analyzer to conduct field-based presumptive exams on suspected narcotics, precursors and cutting agents.

The ARORP Sentinel Project is designed to be a substance identifier and early warning system of dangerous drug trends in Arkansas’ cities and counties.

The TruNarc Handheld Analyzer provides safe, economical and efficient field testing of suspected narcotics, delivering clear, real-time results.

“We are pleased to have been chosen as an awardee of the Sentinel Project. The TruNarc analyzer will help ensure the safety of our officers when analyzing suspected narcotics in the field because in most cases it will not require any direct contact with the substance being tested,” said UCAPD Chief John Merguie.

This project comes with the support of Conway Mayor Bart Castleberry and Faulkner County Judge Allen Dodson. The purchase was made possible by Arkansas Opioid Recovery Partnership Settlement Funding from the opioid abatement partnership between the Arkansas Municipal League (AML) and the Association of Arkansas Counties (AAC).

Several UCA officers have already received training from Thermo Scientific regarding the proper use of the analyzer and reporting requirements. The UCA Police Department will make the device available to other Faulkner County agencies for substance analysis.

Read more here.