GLOCESTER – A portion of the town’s share of funds received through state and national settlements with opioid distributors are being used to purchase a vehicle suited for K-9 Tate, and a narcotics analyzer for the Glocester Police Department, following authorization by members of the Town Council last month.
Councilors approved spending of $49,598 for the vehicle, a 2024 Chevy Silverado, and $37,400 for a TruNarc Handheld Narcotics Analyzer at their last meeting in December.
An additional request for funds for “upfitting” of the vehicle at an expected cost of around $43,000 more is scheduled to go before the council at their meeting on Thursday, Jan. 15.
The purchases are the first Glocester has made through the settlement, with funding provided directly to cities and towns across Rhode Island over several years to be used solely for opioid abatement purposes. A restricted fund dedicated to the purchase of items and equipment to fight the narcotics epidemic, the account comes with strict requirements for use by legislative mandate.
“It’s been a very detailed and prudent process,” explained Glocester Police Chief Joseph Delprete. “It’s a great use for it.”
The vehicle was purchased from Colonial Municipal Group and if approved this week, additional lighting and upfitting for Tate will be purchased and installed through ITS in Warren, according to a memorandum provided with the request.
“It’s allowing opioid funds to be used for this purpose,” explained Town Solicitor David Igliozzi at the council meeting in December. “It’s not any town funds.”
Delprete noted that the analyzer can identify drugs and explosive materials.
“You can go out and use it in the field,” Delprete told councilors. “If you have any type of narcotics or unknown substances, it analyzes it through the package. You don’t even have to open it.”
Thermo Scientific Portable Analytical Instruments Inc. out of Tewksbury, Mass. is the sole manufacturer of the device.
“If you go to an investigation and there’s some things we’re not sure of, you can use that in the field or back at the station,” Delprete said. “It eliminates us getting involved in opening up packages and having to expose civilians and officers to it. We take precautions, but this is the latest and greatest technology.”
A memorandum in support of the analyzer notes that the hand-held device can scan for more than 530 substances in a single test and render an accurate readout.
“This will be an excellent device for any narcotics investigations or immediately identifying substances in overdose or death investigations,” Delprete noted.
The memorandum notes that the purchases will help with narcotic transportation and deterrence, search and detection, and motor vehicle searches.
“Route 44 is an interstate roadway from Connecticut traveling through Rhode Island, which is used by drug traffickers; however, that might be avoided due to the K-9 interdiction program,” it notes. “This program will further be used to interdict and investigate smaller drug dealers attempting to sell their products in the town of Glocester.”
Delprete noted that the K-9 program is also used in community outreach, with events where Tate visits the town’s elementary, middle and high schools. A five-year-old black who works with handler Officer Andrew Uriati, Tate is a frequent guest and schools and other community events.
Both purchase requests were unanimously approved by councilors.
