Clan Labs Flashcards
Clan Lab Indicators - Outside
- Chemical Odours: bitter, sweet, ammonia, solvent
- Exhaust fans running at odd times
- Frequent visitors at odd hours
- Windows blacked out, curtains drawn
- Occupants un-friendly
- Expensive security / surveillance gear
- Access denied to landlords, neighbours, visitors
- Rubbish containing large amounts of cold medication
- Bottles, plastics, boxes with labels removed.
Clan Lab Indicators - Inside
- Laboratory glassware
- Containers with clear liquid with chalky colour solid in the bottom
- Containers with two layer liquid: dark layer and lighter layer
- Used coffee filters containing either a white pasty or reddish brown substance
- Baking dishes or similar containing white crystalline substance
- The presence of hot plates near chemicals.
Unplanned Entry to a Clan Lab
To maximise safety for all concerned, Police involved in an unplanned entry must not under any circumstances touch, handle, move, disconnect, deactivate or operate anything. Don’t use radio / phones / electronics.
Police should:
- immediately remove persons of interest from premises
- isolate the site and maintain a safety perimeter
- preserve crime scene
- notify duty NCO, contact Clan Lab Team (seek advice), where appropriate fire service and ambulance
- decontaminate persons who have entered the address and keep separate
- seek medical advice if you experience adverse effects.
Aim is to convert unplanned entry into planned entry.
Planned Entry to a Clan Lab
Illicit drug-manufacturing laboratories pose multiple health and safety concerns. At all clan lab scenes, safety considerations must always outweigh evidentiary considerations. Planned entry reduces risks. Manner of entry will depends on intelligence factors such as:
- Whether it is active or inactive
- The number and nature of offenders or others present in the lab
- Lab location
- Proximity to persons and property
- Type / size of lab
- Firearms, weapons, booby traps.
Safety Consideration and Safety Equipment
Initial Entry team (IET) Minimum Levels of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE):
- Flame retard overalls
- Chemical & Flame resistance overalls
- Boots
- Fire Resistant Gloves
- Balaclava
- Police SRBA
- Air Purifying Respirator (APR’s) with Air Filters
When preparing for entry, always consider:
- Limitations on level of protection used by IET
- Offenders being armed or drugged
- Security measures / booby traps
- Potential for slip / fall / trip
- Toxic gases and fumes
- Corrosive chemicals
- Explosions and fires.
Priority for IET:
- Personal safety
- Safety of team
- Removing offenders
- Protection the community and environment
90 Second Rule
This rule assumes that if offender(s) are present and moving inside the Lab the the atmosphere will sustain life. It assumes that the IET (wearing minimum level of PPE for IET) may safely enter and extract suspects for a period of up to 90 seconds.
Landslides
Immediate evacuation of the target premises. Extreme danger to the IET and occupants. Fire, chemical, explosion.
Equipment and materials associated with Clan Labs
Material:
- Hydrochloric acid
- Iodine
- Lithium
- Sodium hydroxide
- Red phosphorus
- Rock salt
- Cold medicine
- Hypophosphorous acid
- Phosphorous acid
- Calcium chloride
- Sulfuric acid
- Toluene
- Acetone
Equipment:
- Heat source
- Coffee grinder
- pH meters
- Baking dish
- Distilled water
- Reactive Vessels (Parr Bombs)
- Lab glassware
- Two layered liquids
Hazardous Substances & New Organisms Act 1996 - Emergency
Section 135 Hazardous Substances & New Organisms Act 1996:
Emergency means:
(a) Actual or imminent danger to human health or safety; or
(b) A danger to the environment or chattels so significant that immediate action is required to remove the danger
- arising from a hazardous substance or new organism:
“Enforcement Officer” includes any member of the Police and an Chief Fire Officer.
Hazardous Substances & New Organisms Act 1996 - Emergency Powers
Section 137 Hazardous Substances & New Organisms Act 1996:
(1) When a hazardous substance or new organisms emergency has been declared under Section 136 of this Act, an enforcement officer may -
(a) Enter any premises or dwelling at anytime without complying with the provisions of section 103 or section 119 of this act:
(b) Exercise any powers set out in section 103 of this Act:
(c) Exercise any of powers set out in section 119(5) of this Act:
(d) Direct any person to stop any activity which may contribute to the emergency:
(e) Request any person, either verbally or in writing, to take any action to prevent or limit the extent of the emergency:
(f) Direct any person to leave any place in the vicinity of the emergency:
(g) Direct any person to refrain from entering the vicinity of the emergency:
(h) Request the property for use in the emergency:
(i) Destroy any property or any other thing in order to prevent or limit the extent of the emergency:
(j) Secure the site for up to 24 hours following the decision of the enforcement officer that the immediate danger has passed.
(2) If an enforcement officer enters any private property pursuant to the powers conferred by subsection (1) of this section, he or she shall advise the occupier of the property as soon as practicable.
Three types of Clan Labs
- Extraction
- Conversion
- Synthesis
Symptoms of exposure to Clan Labs
- Headaches
- Watering or burning eyes
- Nausea
- Burning skin
- Coughing or choking
- Pain in diaphragm
- Feeling of coldness or weakness
- Shortness of breath / dizziness
- Decrease in cognitive function, vertigo and convulsions
Initial Action for Children at Clan Labs
OC investigation will coordinate the:
- Removal of CYP from immediate scene
- Assigning officer to look after and monitor CYP and liaise with social worker
- Use age appropriate explanations about what will happen, e.g. need to wear special clothing
- Assessment of CYP by Ambulance
- Medical attention takes priority over decontamination
- Request for Oranga Tamariki (OT) attendance at scene
- Distribute PPE to OT as well as CYP, decontamination kit for each CYP
- Place CYP in Tyvek suit or in blanket, must occur before handover
- Most appropriate decontamination of CYP
- Photographing CYP at scene
- Recording physical condition and mental state of CYP
- Consider securing clothing worn by CYP as an exhibit
- Inform OT of power to remove CYP
Notes: no extra clothing to be removed from address without authority from OC Investigation and ESR Chemist.
OT to arrange placement for child.
Preliminary Interview with Child or Young Person
- Basic health Questions: headaches, nausea, breathing difficulty, dizziness, fatigue etc;
- Occupants details;
- Details of other siblings, CYP at the address;
- Sleeping arrangements;
- Playing and eating areas;
- School details;
- Name of their doctor;
- Knowledge of drugs, manufacturing, dealing activities.
