Christian Pasley, MTN Reporter
September 18th, 2020
Rutherford County Sheriff's Office reported around 15 fatal drug overdoses this year. The department is now 1 of 5 across the country with new crime fighting technology.
Viken Detection is the creator of the device, which is a Massachusetts based company. John Ryan is the CEO of the company and thinks this device will make it easier to search cars for drugs or contraband.
"It's a simple point and shoot device that I have in my hand here. It's an eight-pound instrument an officer can run along any part of the vehicle, press the button and image appears on the screen to show what's behind it. So typically, if there's nothing in there, you'll see a black screen. But when there are organics there- drugs, cash, explosives, this machine will pick up that anomaly in the vehicle."
Rutherford County Deputy Evan Sharp believes this device will allow them to do a more detailed search. " It's a handheld X- ray device. It shoots up to three times the thickness of a car door. So, there's nowhere inside the vehicle that you could put stuff that you won't be able to see."
There have already been 75 overdoses in Rutherford County this year, but Sharp hopes the number will go down with this device.
Sharp also plans to teach other deputies how to use the device and issued a warning to anyone thinking of bringing drugs in this area.
"We have a lot of deputies who have a very good training and they know what they're doing. We just have to get it right once, so if they're coming through Rutherford County, they need to be weary."
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