Devon & Cornwall Police Officer Part of Award-Winning Drug Detection Team

New tech detects lethal drugs in seconds, protecting young people and vulnerable users

A Devon & Cornwall Police officer is part of a team that has won a prestigious science award for developing revolutionary handheld devices that can detect deadly synthetic drugs in seconds.

Life-saving technology recognised

Nick Burnett, a drug expert with Devon & Cornwall Police, has been working with Team Harm Reduction, a multi-institutional group of scientists and law enforcement professionals, who have just received the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Analytical Science Horizon Prize – also known as the George Stokes Prize.

The award recognises their creation of portable technology capable of identifying lethal synthetic substances instantly, giving police and prison officers the ability to issue real-time warnings and protect vulnerable drug users from substances that could kill.

A vital tool against a growing danger

Unlike traditional lab testing, which can take days or even weeks, the new devices provide results in seconds. This has already made a huge difference on the streets, as explained by Nick Burnett:

“It allows us to triage substances seized, especially where a user has had an adverse reaction from taking an illicit drug, and identify potential risks.

“This then provides live information to us and we can liaise with our local drug treatment agencies and provide live data and issue a drug warning, keeping the user cohort safe.”

The devices have proven especially effective at detecting synthetic opioids in powder or pill form, and synthetic cannabinoids like Spice, which are often hidden in vape liquids. These substances can cause seizures, heart failure and even death – especially when unsuspecting users believe they’re buying THC vapes.

Police and prisons already using the devices

The devices are being used across UK police forces and in prisons, offering a fast and effective way to identify synthetic drugs and prevent fatalities. They’re particularly useful in situations where medical help might be delayed, such as in prisons, or where young people are at risk from drug-laced vapes.

Chief Superintendent Sheon Sturland of Devon & Cornwall Police praised the work of the team:

“I’m extremely proud and impressed with the work that Nick Burnett and our Drugs team have done with Professor Pudney and Team Harm Reduction.

“Devon & Cornwall Police is at the forefront of using this technology to give timely warnings of dangerous synthetic drug contaminates in circulation… it is invaluable in safeguarding vulnerable people.”

Real-time data that saves lives

Chris Pudney, the lead investigator, highlighted the importance of speed in responding to the rapidly evolving drug scene:

“If we can use these kinds of rapid technologies to triage what we are worried about in the community, we can then have an essentially real-time intelligence picture that can support harm reduction messaging.”

Matthew Gardner, a PhD student involved in the project, shared a key moment:

“For me, one of the best outcomes was the work with schools, where we used our technology to show the issue of drugs in e-cigarettes and then we were immediately able to provide that same technology to local police forces and councils to provide them with the means to track an emerging threat.”

Changing the way police tackle drug risks

The technology has helped officers shift focus from enforcement alone to harm reduction and community protection. Nick Burnett said:

“From a law enforcement side, having this technology has allowed us to work collaboratively with our drug treatment service and drug users to test drugs.

“It has allowed us to build bridges so that we are not thinking just about prosecution, but also keeping the user demographic safe and preventing avoidable drug-related deaths.”

Schools, prisons and healthcare benefit from rapid testing

Dr Jenny Scott explained the wider implications of the tech:

“The illicit drug market is completely unregulated which means there’s no quality control… Point-of-care testing of drug substances is important to give temporal information that can inform decision making in the moment.”

“The drug market is changing very rapidly and instant information to inform decisions that need to be made quickly, or at least cannot wait for laboratory information, is only going to become even more important.”

Dr Rachael Anderson added that their work is already helping schools respond to drugs being consumed via e-cigarettes:

“We see our work out in the real world making a difference to how people work with vulnerable groups but we hope also making a positive impact on people’s lives.”

What’s next?

The team, which includes members from the Universities of Bath, Bristol, Glasgow and Manchester Metropolitan University, as well as Devon & Cornwall Police and international partners, plans to expand detection capabilities further. They aim to keep their substance library up to date, support prisons, and investigate the growing issue of drug-laced e-cigarettes.

The Royal Society of Chemistry praised the winners for their contributions to solving some of the world’s most pressing challenges:

“Their passion, dedication and brilliance are an inspiration,” said Dr Helen Pain, Chief Executive.

More information about the Royal Society of Chemistry’s prize winners is available at rsc.li/prizes.