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Written by Wes Doss, MS, President, Khyber Interactive Associates, LLC, Fort Mohave, Arizona

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I. SYNOPSIS
As a police officer, a time may come when you or your agency encounter the dangers of methamphetamine and the issues related to working around a suspected lab site. Because methamphetamine production involves dangerous and volatile chemical agents, very detailed precautionary and safety guidelines must be established and followed to prevent both shortand long-term illness and injury. The effects of methamphetamine exposure and use also produce significant dangers, especially to an officer who is unprepared when encountering a meth user on the street. The information in this course and the guidelines it provides establishes procedures for safe operations and limits unnecessary risks to which officers are exposed. This course will assist officers to: understand realities that may be faced by the law enforcement officer when encountering a methamphetamine lab. understand methods of production and distribution of methamphetamine. develop a basic knowledge of the safety procedures recommended when dealing with methamphetamine cooks, dealers, and users. understand environmental and personal safety issues when working around a suspected lab site.

II. OBJECTIVES
Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to: 1. detail the history and widespread use of methamphetamine in the United States and throughout the world. 2. state the various hazards and indicators of clandestine mobile meth labs and understand the demographics associated with meth labs and meth production. 3. list the specific environmental and personal hazards of meth labs and the various methods used to cook meth. 4. identify the various precursor elements used in meth production and identify the various cues and indicators of a working lab. Also understand the motivation and overall mindset of both lab operators and meth users.

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5. discuss specific officer safety considerations for dealing with casual users and tweakers, and the hazardous materials considerations when dealing with a lab site or dump site.

III. TOPIC 1: INTRODUCTION

Objective 1: detail the history and widespread use of methamphetamine in the United States and throughout the world. Almost 10 years ago, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) warned law enforcement agencies throughout the country that methamphetamine, or meth, would become a serious problem in the United States. Methamphetamine, commonly called speed, has now become the drug of choice across the United States. The DEAs warning was largely ignored, and today meth is the number-one controlled substance. Early History First synthesized in Germany in 1887, amphetamine was, for a long time, a drug in search of a disease. Nothing was done with the drug from its discovery (synthesis) until the late 1920s, when it was seriously considered as a cure or treatment for nearly everything, from depression to congestion. In the 1930s, amphetamine was marketed as Benzedrine in an over-thecounter inhaler to treat nasal congestion (for asthmatics, hay fever sufferers, and people with colds). As a probable reaction to the Depression and Prohibition, the drug was used and abused by nonasthmatics looking for a buzz. By 1937 amphetamine was available by prescription in tablet form. Methamphetamine, more potent and easy to make, was discovered in Japan in 1919. The crystalline powder was soluble in water, making it ideal for injection. It is still legally produced in the United States and is sold under the trade name Desoxyn. During World War II, amphetamines were widely used to keep the fighting men going (during the Vietnam War, American soldiers used more amphetamines than did the rest of the world during WWII). In Japan, intravenous methamphetamine abuse reached epidemic proportions immediately after World War II, when supplies stored for military use became available to the public.

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In the United States in the 1950s, legally manufactured tablets of both dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine) and methamphetamine (Methedrine) became readily available. College students, truck drivers, and athletes used it for nonmedical purposes. As the use of amphetamines spread, so did their abuse. Amphetamines became a cure-all for such things as weight control and treating mild depression. This pattern changed drastically in the 1960s with the increased availability of injectable methamphetamine. The 1970 Controlled Substances Act severely restricted legal production of injectable methamphetamine, causing its use to decrease significantly. Meth trafficking and abuse in the United States have been increasing during the past few years, as indicated by investigative, seizure, price, purity, and abuse data. This drug is having a devastating impact in many communities across the country. Although more common in western areas of the United States, this impact increasingly is felt in areas not previously familiar with the harmful effects of this powerful stimulant. Clandestine production accounts for almost all meth trafficking and abuse in the United States. The illicit manufacture of meth is accomplished in a variety of ways, but is most commonly produced using the ephedrine/pseudoephedrine reduction method. Large-scale production of meth using this method depends upon ready access to bulk quantities of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine. During the past few years, several bulk ephedrine seizures destined for Mexico focused attention on the magnitude of ephedrine acquisition by organized crime drug groups operating from Mexico and the United States, and set in motion an effort to focus international attention on the ephedrine diversion problem and to take preventative action.

IV. TOPIC 2: CLANDESTINE LABS

Objective 2: State the various hazards and indicators of clandestine mobile meth labs and understand the demographics of meth labs and production. A clandestine laboratory is used to illegally manufacture meth or other controlled substances. Clandestine labs are typically small; they utilize common household appliances, glassware, and readily available chemicals. Clandestine laboratories come in all sizes and are found in a variety of locations. The most common and the

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fastest-growing type of lab is the mobile meth lab. Meth labs have been seized in homes in residential areas, in vehicles, apartments, hotels, kitchens, bathrooms, garages, and other places. Many different methods are used to produce meth. Each method has its own inherent dangers. Many of the chemicals used are caustic or corrosive, and some of the processes create noxious and harmful fumes. Most of the chemicals can be found in common household items such as lantern fuel, cleaners, acetone, muriatic acid, and diet pills. The most productive labs are commonly located in rural areas, such as farms, rural residences, and undeveloped land. Rural areas are often targeted for labs to avoid detection by law enforcement. These labs are often large and produce strong chemical odors, which neighbors can easily detect. Methamphetamine use is still concentrated in the western United States; however, it continues to spread to the Midwest and East. In 1997 the DEA seized more labs (435) in Missouri than in any other state, although the labs were smaller operations than those in western states. During the past five years, Mexican drug organizations have replaced outlaw motorcycle gangs as the predominant meth producers, traffickers, and distributors in California and much of the western United States. Many different types of drugs and the chemical precursors used to manufacture meth are smuggled across the border from Mexico. Large quantities of drugs and chemicals have been seized in commercial trucks at the border and throughout the United States after crossing the border from Mexico. These seizures are only the tip of the iceberg. Mobile or clandestine laboratories are commonly operated on an irregular basis. Operators often produce a batch, or conduct one step in the process, then disassemble and store the labor move the labto another

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location to complete the process. This is often done to avoid detection by law enforcement or in an attempt to avoid potential competition. Patrol officers often discover mobile labs in vehicles during traffic enforcement; a patrol officers stumbling across a lab inside a vehicle is not uncommon.

V. TOPIC 3: ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES AND HAZARDS

Objective 3: List the specific environmental and personal hazards of meth labs and the various methods used to cook meth. Meth does more than boost the crime rate, create drug addicts, and turn normal lives into nightmares. Its manufacturing process presents an immediate environmental hazard. The cost of cleaning up these sites can be significant. Most of the environmental problems occur during the cooking process. Meth is made by taking ephedrine or pseudoephedrine tablets and heating them until the ephedrine is highly concentrated. It takes thousands of ephedrine tablets to make one pound of meth. Although the ephedrine itself is not that harmful, the chemicals used to cook it are harmful. The drug is converted into meth using a combination of hidriotic acid and red phosphorus. Hidriotic acid is the principal chemical that facilitates the conversion. Ephedrine is the hardest chemical to obtain. Although it is readily available in decongestants, the low concentration makes it difficult to process efficiently. The average ephedrine pill is 25 milligrams, and it is concentrated many times through the cooking process. When meth was first manufactured, the recipe called for a lot of heavy metals, and contamination throughout the site was more common. A subsequent cooking method used a lot of solvents and caustic material, which were also harmful, but were more likely to evaporate before causing much trouble. The newest method, called the Nazi method, calls for a cold cook using liquid ammonia, dry ice, and acetone. This method involves another type of ephedrine conversion lab that uses two common precursors, which are easily obtained and can be purchased legally from any commercial source.

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This method produces a high yield and takes only a short time to convert ephedrine into methamphetamine. One of the precursors is extremely moisture reactive and explodes upon contact with water or an abundance of moisture in the air. This type of lab also produces strong odors and gases that are dangerous to the public if exposed to them. Although the ammonia can be a problem, this method is less destructive to the environment because everything quickly evaporates. It is, however, much harder on law enforcement agencies. The method can yield a batch of meth in less than an hour as opposed to several days with the older methods, making it much harder to catch the criminals. A few years ago a senate bill was passed banning commercial sales of hidriotic acid. This created a major obstacle for domestic manufacture of crank until laboratory operators determined that hidriotic acid can be manufactured using iodine crystals. Iodine crystals can be purchased legally through any chemical distributor; however, the sale of iodine crystals is reportable to the U. S. Department of Justice. Veterinarians and people who shoe horses use iodine crystals to make their own iodine slurry, which is used as an antiseptic and is the only known legitimate use for iodine crystals. Red phosphorus is used in the commercial manufacture of fireworks and similar incendiary devices.

VI. TOPIC 4: PRECURSORS

Objective 4: Identify the various precursor elements used in meth production and identify the various cues and indicators of a working lab. Also understand the motivation and overall mindset of both lab operators and meth users. Precursors are substances that may be inactive in nature. When combined with another chemical, the result is a new product. Meth starts with an inactive or marginally inactive compound (ephedrine or pseudoephedrine) and other chemicals are added to produce the drug. The precursor and main ingredient of meth is ephedrine. This chemical is contained in many legal drugs, including bronchodilators, cold medications, diet pills, and therapeutic agents. Because of restraints placed on the sale and possession of ephedrine, operators of

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mobile and clandestine meth labs began extracting pseudoephedrine from legally produced over-the-counter diet pills, decongestants, and bronchodilators. Although one or two empty bottles in a scene might indicate a bad cold or sinus problem, anything beyond that is a possible clue of lab activity.

Other legally purchased items that have been found in mobile and clandestine labs are iodine crystals, red phosphorous, (sometimes extracted from matchbooks), isopropyl alcohol, and lye. Equipment used for manufacturing is as simple as having portable stoves, aquarium pumps or swamp cooler pumps, several pieces of glassware, rubber tubing, Pyrex dishes, and mason jars. Labs and Mobile labs To put things in better perspective, lets compare cooking meth to your favorite food recipe. When you start putting together your favorite recipe, you often refer to a printed recipe or card. Meth producers also keep their recipes on cards, on computer hard drives, in cook books, and on shared websites. You run down to your favorite market to pick up all the supplies you need to create your recipe; those involved in making meth also head for the market, a hardware store, and possibly a pharmacy. You spend a half-hour filling your cart with the ingredients you need, and meth producers also spend a half-hour filling their carts with paint thinner, coffee filters, cold medicine, ether, drain cleaner, and other ingredients they need.

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You drive home and pull into your driveway, rush inside and start cooking. They pull into their driveway and head inside to make some meth. You light your stove to preheat it; they turn on their stove and set a can of paint thinner next to the burner while they take out the rest of their ingredients. After about 30 minutes or so youre done setting up and ready to start cooking; they are already cooking their first batch of meth. An hour later you pull your recipe from the oven; five minutes earlier they had already strained enough meth for a good high or a quick buck. While your recipe was still cooking, they had produced enough meth to offset the cost of their supplies by as many as 100 times. Although this scenario is somewhat exaggerated to make a point, it is a good example of two parallel activities being conducted within a single community, sometimes next door to each other. Early in its dealings with meth, the law enforcement community encountered larger more structured labs that tended to remain in established locations, such as those used to produce LSD, ecstasy or even cocaine. With human ingenuity, however, a number of processes have been developed to allow meth greater mobility. The term mobile lab, although suggesting a lab on wheels, refers to smaller, more portable lab setups that can be established anywhere in a short period of time and either dismantled and transported to another location or abandoned without a negative affect on profits. Lab Indicators It is important for law enforcement officers to identify where meth labs can be found (almost anywhere) and what to do when they suspect they have discovered one. It is important to understand that meth production has become so simple and portable that labs are easily set up anywhere. Regardless of the location, the presence of specific debris and specific items may indicate a working lab. Its also important to know that the majority of items used in meth production have legitimate uses and are available throughout our communities. Presence of the following items may not, by themselves, indicate the presence of a lab, but when found in conjunction with other items of evidentiary value, they can be articulated as heightened suspicion and probable cause for greater

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investigation. Indicators of a mobile meth lab include: a large amount of cold tablet containers that list ephedrine or pseudoephedrine as ingredients. jars containing clear liquid with a white-colored solid on the bottom. jars labeled as containing iodine or containing dark shiny metallic purple crystals. jars labeled as containing red phosphorus or containing a fine dark red or purple powder. coffee filters containing a white pasty substance, dark red sludge, or small amounts of shiny white crystals. bottles labeled as containing sulfuric acid or hydrochloric acid. Bottles or jars with rubber tubing attached. glass cookware or frying pans containing a powdery residue. an unusually large number of cans of portable stove fuel, paint thinner, acetone, starting fluid, lye, and drain cleaners containing sulfuric acid or bottles containing muriatic acid. large numbers of lithium batteries, especially ones that have been stripped. soft silver or gray metallic ribbon (in chunk form) stored in oil or kerosene. propane tanks with fittings that have turned blue. occupants of the residence going outside to smoke. strong smell of urine, or unusual chemical smells like ether, ammonia, or acetone.

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Lab Operators

Meth lab operators are often well-armed, and their laboratories occasionally are booby trapped and equipped with scanning devices as security precautions. It is important for law enforcement officers to be open-minded and observant for all potential surveillance/counter surveillance measures these operators may use. A high degree of ingenuity, a limited regard for sophistication, and the operators always being prepared to abandon the lab or move locations mean that law enforcement officers will commonly encounter less-obvious items used for surveillance/counter surveillance. Lab operators frequently employ such things as baby monitors, older video cameras, microphones connected to stereo systems, and even tin cans and trip wires. Weapons, ranging from single firearms to arsenals of high-powered weapons and explosives, are commonly found at laboratory sites. Lab operators, or cooks, frequently display little concern for public safety or the environment. Cooks vary from high school dropouts with no real chemistry education to professionals with graduate degrees in chemistry. These cooks typically have little formal training; instead, they follow a handwritten recipe or have learned to produce meth from underground publications, apprenticeships, or fellow inmates during periods of incarceration. Some lab operators act as their own chemists, whereas others hire chemists to run the labs for them. Many manufacturers are independent producers who cook for various organized groups. This is particularly true of larger organizations that may hire contract chemists to manufacture meth in return for cash, product, or a combination of both. Other cooks manufacture for themselves rather than for a particular organization. Its is important to understand that not all cooks use meth, but the fact that they function unprotected in a chemical environment makes them susceptible to all the side effects of use.

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Use and Users

Meth can be smoked, injected, snorted, or taken orally. The most frequent method is injection. Chronic, high-dose meth abusers, often called speed freaks, are generally under-nourished, have an emaciated appearance, poor hygiene, and rotten teeth. These individuals inject meth frequently and often as much as 1,000 milligrams at a time. Due to the high level of meth in their systems, speed freaks are typically very paranoid and unpredictable. Meth alters mood in many ways depending upon how it is taken. Immediately after smoking or intravenous injection, the user experiences an powerful rush that lasts only minutes and is described as tremendously gratifying. Smoking or injecting produces effects the quickest, within five to 10 seconds. Snorting or ingesting produces euphoriaa high but not a rush. Snorting produces effects within three to five minutes, and ingesting orally produces effects within 15 to 20 minutes. Overall, the drug stimulates the central nervous system, with effects lasting anywhere from four to 24 hours. Meth is used in pill form or in powdered form by snorting or injecting. Crystallized meth, commonly known as ICE, crystal, or glass can be smoked and is a more powerful form of the drug. The effects of meth use include: increased heart rate and blood pressure. insomnia. increased physical activity. decreased appetite. respiratory problems. severe anorexia. hyperthermia, convulsions, and cardiovascular problems that can lead to death. euphoria. irritability, confusion, tremors. anxiety, paranoia, or violent behavior.

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possible irreversible damage to blood vessels in the brain, producing strokes. premature labor, detachment of the placenta, and low birthweight babies with possible neurological damage in pregnant women. AIDS, hepatitis, infections and sores at the injection site, and infection of the heart lining and valves in intravenous (IV) users. Meth is classified as a psycho-stimulant as are other drugs such as amphetamine and cocaine. We know that meth is structurally similar to amphetamine and the neurotransmitter dopamine, but it is quite different from cocaine. Although these stimulants have similar behavioral and physiological effects, some major differences occur in the basic mechanisms of how they work at the nerve-cell level. The bottom line is that methamphetamine, like cocaine, causes an accumulation of the neurotransmitter dopamine, and this excessive dopamine concentration appears to produce the stimulation and feelings of euphoria the user experiences. In contrast to cocaine, which is quickly removed and almost completely metabolized in the body, methamphetamine has a much longer duration and a larger percentage of the drug remains unchanged in the body. This results in methamphetamines being present in the brain for a longer period of time, which leads to prolonged stimulant effects.

VII. TOPIC 5: OFFICER SAFETY: TWEAKERS

Objective 5: Discuss specific officer safety considerations for dealing with casual users and tweakers, and the hazardous materials considerations when dealing with a lab site or dump site. The most dangerous stage of meth use for both abusers and law enforcement officers is called tweaking. Consuming the drug continuously for as many as three days without sleep drives the user into a severe depression followed by increasing paranoia, belligerence, and aggression. Finally, the user collapses from exhaustion, only to awaken days later to begin the cycle again. The new ephedrine-based meth has a usage pattern unlike traditional meth or crack cocaine. Several times more potent than its other forms, todays meth produces a reaction far more severe than even crack cocaine. It causes sleepless binges that last as many as 15 days and end with intolerable crashes. Tweakers often behave or react violently, and if a tweaker were using alcohol or another depressant, his negative feelings and the dangers associated with him intensify. The tweaker craves more meth but no dosage will help recreate the euphoric high, which causes frustration and leads to unpredictability and the potential for violence.

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A tweaker can appear normal; eyes can be clear, speech concise, and movements brisk. But a closer look will reveal his eyes are moving 10 times faster than normal, his voice has a slight quiver, and his movements are quick and jerky. These physical signs are more difficult to identify if the tweaker were using a depressant. Tweakers are often involved in domestic disputes and motor vehicle accidents. They may also attend raves or parties, and they may participate in spur-of-the-moment crimes to support their habit, such as purse snatchings or assaults. Safety Tips for Approaching a Tweaker Keep a seven- to 10-foot distance; coming too close can be perceived as threatening. Do not shine bright lights at him. The tweaker is already paranoid and if blinded by a bright light he is likely to run or become violent. Slow your speech and lower the pitch of your voice. A tweaker already hears sounds at a fast pace and in a high pitch. Slow your movements. This will reduce the odds that the tweaker will misinterpret your physical actions. Keep your hands visible. If you place your hands where the tweaker cannot see them, he might feel threatened and could become violent. Keep the tweaker talking. A tweaker who falls silent can be extremely dangerous. Silence often means that his paranoid thoughts have taken over reality, and anyone present can become part of the tweakers paranoid delusions. Hazardous Materials Pharmaceutical companies own and operate large, elaborate facilities specifically designed to perform drug research and manufacturing. These labs operate under strict government codes and regulations, which require them to adhere to safety and sanitation standards. In fact, the Federal Drug Administration was created as a result of opium addiction associated with many old cough medications. In contrast, the typical meth lab, although utilizing the same scientific principles of chemistry, is typically manned by people who have limited knowledge of chemistry and have little concern for safety and sanitation. In many instances the cooks are high themselves while manufacturing the product.

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You will remember that the primary concern of meth cooks is to make more meth. It should come as no surprise that the cook cares little for the health of the community. Meth requires an large quantity of solvents, fuel, and other chemicals for its manufacture. An estimated five to 10 pounds of waste are created to produce one pound of meth. Where do all the waste products go that are left over from a meth cooking? A large amount of the waste piles up in the cooks yards. Even more is poured down the drain, or left to leak into the backyard, the lot next door, local streams, and sewers. Numerous other areas in the community are used for dump sites, including campgrounds, fields, freeway onramps, alleys, and storage facilities. A meth waste dump site may be an area where your children play, your family walks, and your neighbors live. These areas can become so contaminated that every time you pass it your eyes sting, your children come home with a rash, and your lungs burn. In one case, a small pond was completely contaminated within the span of three months with little hope of its ever returning to normal. Your community also faces numerous additional hazards. Highly toxic and volatile containers of anhydrous ammonia, usually stored in illegal containers such as propane tanks, are often found corroded and leaking. Working with these hazards requires the training and equipment of experts, and no one should ever go near these items if found. Consider the following case studies: Washington State In April 1996, an oven exploded when two people were using acetone, hydrochloric acid, and sodium hydroxide to make meth in an apartment laboratory. One person received chemical burns and was taken to a hospital where three unknowing hospital employees were also exposed. They began vomiting and became incapacitated. Three ambulance personnel and two police officers also experienced eye irritation and respiratory distress from their exposures. None of these people were wearing personal protective equipment.

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Oregon

In February 1999, a firefighter was exposed to hydrochloric acid and suffered chemical burns at a fire in a meth lab. After the fire was extinguished, drug manufacturing equipment was found in the residential laboratory. The firefighter was wearing turnout gear at the time of the exposure and was decontaminated on site. He was treated and released at the local hospital. In March 1999, three police officers had respiratory irritation after being exposed to anhydrous ammonia during a raid at a meth lab. They were decontaminated at the site and treated at the local hospital.

Iowa

Wisconsin A meth lab was discovered in Grant County in March 2000 by the Southwestern Wisconsin Meth Task Force. Although no responders were injured, the local HazMat team, whose members were wearing protective clothing, looked through the country house for hazards requiring containment. Many chemicals were discovered on-site, and the operator had been cooking the drug in nearly every room and the basement of the residence. The site had to be razed due to contamination from the chemical residue. Missouri A faulty electrical strip caused a fast-moving fire and several explosions, which killed three children and injured three others. A meth lab was discovered in a back room and authorities knew of drug activity in the apartment before the fire.

From 1996 to 1999 16 states reported 23,327 incidents involving hazardous substances. The Hazardous Substances Emergency Events Surveillance (HSEES) also reported that 112 events (0.5 percent) were associated with meth labs. All these events occurred in the following five states: 1. Iowa 2. Minnesota 3. Missouri 4. Oregon 5. Washington These 112 events caused 155 injuries, 79 of which involved first responders. Fifty-one percent of all injuries at meth labs happened to first responders. The following is a breakdown of those 79 injuries.

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55 (69.6 percent): police Nine (11.4 percent): emergency medical technicians/paramedics Eight (10.1 percent): firefighters Seven (8.9 percent): hospital employees The majority of injuries involved respiratory irritation (54.1 percent) and eye irritation (10.8 percent). No personal protective equipment (PPE) was worn by 85.1 percent of first responders at these labs. Police officers accounted for 78.9 percent of this total. The most common hazardous materials that caused injury were anhydrous ammonia (33.3 percent) and hydrochloric acid (30.6 percent). Analysis of these data reveals that firefighters were least likely to be injured at meth labs because they were likely to wear PPE during these events. The reality is that these labs are here and may be right in our own neighborhoods. Your next response could be to one of these dangerous clan-labs, and you must be prepared; the data show first responders are at risk for injury during events at illicit meth labs. Even though meth lab events account for a small percentage of total incidents, they were more likely to result in injuries. One interesting point is that although most illegal labs are discovered by Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) personnel or local law enforcement efforts, 20 to 30 percent are found because of explosions. Many of the hazards associated with manufacturing methamphetamine are derived from the ingredients, and many of those ingredients are hazardous substances. Some are raw products or pure chemicals, but many ingredients come from over-the-counter products such as cold medicine, dietary supplements, and even drain cleaner. When these products are released they can harm responders through inhalation or skin contact. Common chemicals used to manufacture meth include: toluene, found in paint thinner. methanol, found in anti-freeze. ethyl ether, found in starting fluid. anhydrous ammonia, found at farmers co-ops.

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hydrochloric acid, found in hardware and janitorial supply stores. ephedrine and/or pseudoephedrine, found in cold medicine or dietary supplements. sodium hydroxide, found in drain cleaners and lye. sulfuric acid, found in battery acid and drain cleaners. iodine crystals and tincture of iodine, available at tack and feed stores and veterinary supply stores. red phosphorous, found in matches. lithium, found in batteries. As you can see from this list, substances used in meth labs are corrosive, flammable, or toxic. Equipment used to make these drugs includes jars, chemical bottles, propane tanks with green fittings (from ammonia reaction with brass), cans of portable stove fuel, glass cookware, heating plates, coffee filters, and glass or plastic tubing. A common byproduct from making meth is hydrogen gas, which is very flammable and can explode if the gas is confined. The dangers of making meth were described in a book written by Dale Brown in 1998 titled Tin Man. Even though it is fiction, Brown details, with great accuracy as a result of his research, the process for manufacturing meth. The prologue of the book describes the pour and run method, in which diet pills containing ephedrine are dissolved in chloroform and thionyl chloride, which produces sulphur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide gas along with chloropseudoephedrine, a white solid. This material is then hydrogenated by mixing it with palladium black and hexane in a pressurized tank. This final step produces hydrogen gas and the crystal powder called meth, speed, or crank. The crystal is then washed with ether to purify it, after which it is ready for sale. This is a very dangerous process indeed. In the book the portable cooker explodes because the hydrogen gas was ignited by the heating equipment used in the process. In addition to chemical and process hazards at a lab, responders must also be aware of anti-personnel devices (APD) or booby traps. These devices are designed to protect the lab while the labs operators are away and serve as warning devices to aid in the operators escape. Unfortunately, they are also designed to incapacitate responders.

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Notes VIII. CONCLUSION

As the world becomes more complex, so does the world of law enforcement professionals. Complexities in the law enforcement world often require a functional understanding of matters that are often nontraditional in their nature. The training modern law enforcement officers receive has changed to meet these needs and has expanded to include training focused on meth labs and the proliferation of meth in our society. As police officers, a time may come when you encounter the dangers of meth and the issues related to working around a suspected lab site; indeed, perhaps you already have. Because meth production involves dangerous and volatile chemical agents, it is crucial that officers remain current on trends in meth use and production and adhere to safety guidelines to prevent injury. The effects of meth use and exposure also pose significant dangers, especially to unsuspecting and ill-prepared officers encountering a meth user or tweaker on the street. An understanding of what motivates a user and what potential actions a user might take can help keep officers safe and enable them to be effective in stopping meth use. Because incidents involving clandestine and mobile labs are becoming more common (especially in the central United States), law enforcement personnel must be prepared. All first responders must have proper training involving lab awareness and hazards and what actions to take when confronted with a lab incident. Safe and prudent standard operating guidelines must be developed and conveyed to all personnel.

IX. REFERENCE LIST

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Report of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/pgdstart Drug Enforcement Administration. Drugs of Abuse. Drug Enforcement Administration. Narcotics Raid Handbook. Khyber Interactive Associates, LLC. website: www.khybertraining.com National Crime Prevention Council. Exploring the Explosive and Addictive World of Meth by James E. Coppie. National Tactical Officers Association. www.ntoa.org NARCONON. Effects of Meth. www.stopaddiction.com

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NARCONON. Methamphetamine History. www.stopaddiction.com Norwell Police Department, Norwell, MA. www.norwellpolice.com Peterson, David F. Hazardous MaterialsClandestine Drug Labs.
www.firehouse.com

Police One. www.policeone.com Tempe (AZ) Fire Department. Policy and Procedures Manual.
www.tempe.gov/fire/docs/208.01G.htm

Anderson County (TN) Sheriffs Department. Weekend Meth Labs.

www.tnacso.net

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