More and more emerging technologies find their use in law enforcement. One example of such technologies is portable mass spectrometers (MS) with paper spray ionization (PSI). These devices proved to be effective in forensic chemical analysis, as they provide an opportunity for law enforcement officers to examine complex samples in situ without comprehensive preparations (Bruno et al., 2017). This means that the equipment can increase the efficiency of forensic fieldwork significantly.
Evidently, PSI-MS technology demonstrates its helpfulness for law enforcement bodies. According to Bruno et al. (2017), the technology can identify various drugs, “mind-altering plant materials, chemical warfare agents, toxicological assessment, forged documents, and sexual assault evidence” (p. 5015). These recent developments in PSI-MS technology expand the scope of its usage enormously. For instance, PSI-MS equipment can be used during searches, traffic stops, in the aviation security industry, etc.
Finally, so far, the overall benefits of PSI-MS technology applications seem to outweigh the associated costs. Bruno et al. (2017) summarized the advantages of the technology and highlighted three benefits: effectiveness, speed, and flexibility. Regarding costs, there are issues associated with privacy and financial costs of implementation of new technology. However, according to the legislation, privacy is not an issue in any cases except those where a warrant is necessary (Bruno et al., 2017). Even in these cases, there are some established practices, such as the usage of drug searching canines, and it is possible to implement the widespread use of PSI-MS technology within these practices.
Moreover, the issue of privacy regarding chemical compounds in one’s car or one’s clothes does not seem to be significant. For instance, in contrast to Internet privacy violations, which can expose a person’s financial data, it is almost impossible to conceptualize a scenario in which the exposure of a person’s clothes’ chemical composition is dangerous. Regarding economic costs, according to Mulligan et al. (2018), the usage of PSI-MS devices in comparison to traditional laboratory testing has the potential to reduce the expenses for forensic research significantly. Overall, it seems that the benefits of PSI-MS technology implementation exceed the costs.
References
Bruno, A. M., Cleary, S. R., O’Leary, A. E., Gizzi, M. C., & Mulligan, C. C. (2017). Balancing the utility and legality of implementing portable mass spectrometers coupled with ambient ionization in routine law enforcement activities. Analytical Methods, 9, 5015-5022. Web.
Mulligan, C. C., Wieland, J. R., & Gizzi, M. C. (2018). Analytical Validation and Impact Assessment of On-Site Evidence Screening via Ambient Sampling, Portable Mass Spectrometry. U.S. Department of Justice. Web.