City Council touts drug detector

After examining a new drug-detecting device that checks material surfaces for traces of narcotics, members of the Boston City Council's Committee on Public Safety said they are considering using the product at city offices and Boston Public schools, though civil liberties lawyers say the product could lead to false accusations.

The device, DrugWipe, picks up "surface contamination" from narcotics and sweat secreted by users. After the device is dipped in distilled water, a red line materializes in a small window if there is a positive result.

"Looking at and utilizing new technology helps us do our job better," said Councilor Rob Consalvo (Hyde Park, Roslindale), who introduced the legislation at a council meeting last month.

Consalvo said he was intrigued by the "home pregnancy test-type deal."

"I think the technology is fascinating," he said. "We need to be forward-thinking and see how technology can help us."

According to representatives from TeamOps, DrugWipe's manufacturer, the device is "100 percent sensitive" to narcotics but does not detect nicotine or alcohol.

During their presentation yesterday, TeamOps representatives said the product respects personal privacy by testing surfaces, such as lockers in schools or desks in an office building, rather than people. The test does not require saliva or hair samples, so it delivers results within minutes rather than days at a laboratory. DrugWipe is already used in schools in Newark, N.J. and Lebanon, Ill., according to the presentation.

Councilor-at-Large Michael Flaherty told the committee he learned about DrugWipe when he walked into his office and found Consalvo testing the surfaces of his desk and keyboard. Flaherty said it would be beneficial as "another tool in the war on drugs," especially for parents concerned about their children.

"Parents need to be informed at the earliest stage that their child is addicted to drugs," Flaherty said. "This device would put parents on the forefront of knowing if their children are addicted."

Sarah Wunsch, a representative from the American Civil Liberties Union, said, however, the device poses more problems than it solves because it finds drugs on surfaces rather than people, which could lead to a person being falsely accused of using drugs.

Wunsch added using any drug-testing method could result in students turning to alcohol or inhalants that are not detected by most tests.

"It seems to me there's no evidence it'll be helpful," she said. "Some methods may be more of a gimmick than a real and useful tool."