Humberside Police rolls out new spiking testing kits

Message from Humberside Police:

Everyone should have the right to enjoy the excellent entertainment in our vibrant towns and cities without fear of crime.

We have seen a rise in reports of spiking, whether by suspected injection or by having something slipped into a drink, and we take all reports of this nature incredibly seriously and have investigations ongoing to determine the causes of reported incidents, and identify any perpetrators.

We are always looking at how to improve the ways in which we respond to incidents and have now rolled out new spiking testing kits.

These kits are simple to use and are designed to recognise up to 20 different drugs. They will be used by us for testing between four and 24 hours after the spiking is suspected to have occurred.

A sample obtained from these new kits will assist us in quickly identifying what substances may have been used and to offer support to the victim whilst forensic enquiries are made.

Assistant Chief Constable Darren Downs said: “These new kits are the latest items at our disposal to combat spiking. They have proven very successful and we hope their availability will reassure the public that they can spend time in our region’s venues in safety.

“The kits pick up a range of drugs associated with spiking, as well as drugs that people may have taken recreationally.

“The results from these kits will only be used for intelligence purposes. We are not using them to take action against people who may have taken recreational drugs, as we work with our partners to offer them the help they need.”

Being spiked is never the fault of the victim and we are keen to ensure the perpetrators are brought to justice. For many months, we have been working with our partners to educate all parts of the night-time economy on the dangers of spiking and improving conviction rates where a crime is found to have taken place.

The positive impact of more members of the public coming forward when they suspect they have been spiked has given us the opportunity to investigate these incidents more comprehensively, and it is hoped the new kits will allow us to tackle evidence threshold issues more effectively than ever before.

Alongside our partners, we have been carrying out preventative work with venues across the area for several months. This includes providing spike testing kits, glass covers and bottle stoppers, as well as educating staff on how to spot signs someone has been spiked and what to do to help them.

We know you shouldn’t have to, but as part of our duty of care to you, we would encourage everyone whilst out to…

• Protect your drinks
  Use existing preventative measures such as glass covers and bottle stoppers.
• Look out for your friends
  If they seem to be acting differently, talk to them. If your concerns remain, tell bar or door staff to see if they can get their drink tested or get help in the venue.
• Report incidents to us
  In an emergency, always call 999. Most drugs leave the body within 72 hours and GHB leaves within 12 hours. It is important to get tested as soon as possible.

Our officers will continue to patrol busy nightlife hotspots and are trained to deal with these incidents. Working with our medical partners, we will make you safe.

There is also the “Ask for Angela” scheme across a lot of bars and pubs in the UK, whereby if you are concerned about someone’s behaviour, you can approach staff and “ask for Angela”. You will then be taken by a staff member to a place of safety.

Safety tips about spiking can be found on the Talk to Frank website.