Been There, Done That!

The media breathlessly reports that cops subjected a suspicious substance to a field test for methamphetamine. Turns out they were the ashes of his dead baby. Could have been worse….

https://dailycaller.com/2021/05/22/dartavius-barnes-illinois-police-daughter-ashes-drugs/

The Original Steve McGarrett

Any time McGarrett arrested a suspect with drugs, the sequence was the same. He would dip a finger into the controlled substance, taste it and then order his faithful companion to: “Book ’em Danno” The running joke among narcs was that McGarrett was a junkie.

It would ruin the article to put the field test into context. I suspect the cops had already found paraphernalia related to drug use and sale. They may have already found illicit drugs. The ashes may have been one of several substances field tested. Yeah, Dad may have identified the remains. I’ll let you in on a secret: “Dopers, like democrats, lie.”

Been there done that over twenty years ago. In that particular case it was dear old mom. As I recall the ashes were in an unmarked jar.

My favorite misidentification incident happened during a search warrant. A new agent was instructed by a seasoned agent to bring his find to a supervisor. The newby presented the boss with a rigid clear plastic tube, open at one end and equipped with a valve at the other end. He stated that he thought the suspected item was paraphernalia. He and the supervisor cautiously sniffed at the open end and decided that the item was a bong, (a pipe for smoking marijuana). On closer inspection and sniffing they decided that the pipe contained residue.

Since all the requirements for a “gotcha” moment were met, the more senior member of the search team produced the box that the “bong” came in. According to the advertising the box contained a penis pump. Just to eliminate confusion, I have included photos of each. It’s up to the reader to determine which is which.

Mistakes Happen!