Over 200 Police Officers Trained on Cutting-Edge Information and
Law Enforcement Techniques to Combat Illegal Drugs

Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced that, on Wednesday, March 1, 2017, the District Attorney’s Office sponsored training for police officers about techniques that law enforcement can use to investigate certain types of illegal drug operations, and about the dangers of and trends in illegal heroin and fentanyl use and trafficking. The training was held at the Orange County Emergency Services Center in Goshen, and was co-sponsored by the Middle Atlantic-Great Lakes Organized Crime Law Enforcement Network (MAGLOCLEN). Over 200 police officers from around the region participated in the training.

The training touched on a number of topics designed to provide officers with the latest information on investigating illegal drug activity. Those topics included a discussion about the dangers of fentanyl, a synthetic opiate that is quickly becoming one of the most-abused drugs in America, and about methods that law enforcement can use to safely handle the drug. Officers also received information about trends in the illegal heroin trade in the Mid-Hudson region.

Attending officers received training on investigating two types of larger-scale drug operations. Clandestine drug labs can be found in a variety of places and can manufacture substances like methamphetamine, MDMA (ecstasy), or steroids. Officers learned about the hazardous types of chemicals used in those operations, and were taught some of the skills necessary to recognize a potential clandestine lab and to take appropriate action. Finally, attendees learned about indoor marijuana growing operations; the dangers associated with investigating and dismantling those operations; chemicals associated with those operations; and health concerns for law enforcement officers entering illegal grow houses.

“Illegal drugs are destroying lives, families, communities,” said District Attorney Hoovler, “and it is critical that our police officers know the techniques necessary to take down illegal drug manufacturers and sellers. But it is also essential that officers know how to conduct those investigations safely. Today’s training will bring much-needed information to police officers in our region, information that will enable them to recognize and investigate illegal drug manufacturing operations. The training will also permit officers to perform those investigations with less risk to themselves from the illegal substances that are produced in those operations, or from the precursor chemicals involved in manufacturing illegal drugs. I’d like to thank MAGLOCLEN for their efforts in helping us bring this important training opportunity to our area.”