College of Justice and Safety

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Kentucky First Responders Receive Clandestine Meth Lab Awareness Training in St. Matthews

The Kentucky Regional Community Policing Institute (KY RCPI) and the St. Matthews Police Department will co-host Clandestine Laboratory Awareness for Kentucky First Responders on Wednesday, May 9th at the St. Matthews Community Center from 1 – 5 pm. This training is sponsored by Circle Solutions and funded by a grant from the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (OCOPS).

This no-cost training is for public safety agencies seeking to address problems related to methamphetamine and the specialized health and safety problems associated with clandestine laboratories. “Our first responders will become familiar with the unique hazards associated with clandestine laboratories and methamphetamine production,” says Cindy Shain, Director of the Kentucky RCPI, which is based in the Justice & Safety Center, College of Justice & Safety at Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond. Shain, a retired Deputy Chief from the Louisville Police Department, emphasized the importance of all first responders to understand the inherent dangers of clandestine laboratories and know proper procedures in responding safely. Participants will also learn how to engage the community in responding to these hazardous types of incidents.

Methamphetamine is produced in clandestine laboratories which are found in a wide range of sites across the United States, from large urban areas to remote rural regions. These illicit labs often house substantial quantities of chemicals that may pose serious health problems and environmental risks. Once seized, a clandestine lab remains a possible hazardous waste site, with large quantities of toxic chemicals and unknown corrosives, carcinogens, and combustible that must be removed in a safe and legal manner.

“The St. Matthews Police Department is pleased to co-host to this training” says Chief Norman Mayer, which is expected to draw over 100 first responders from police, fire and sheriffs departments, emergency and health services, probation & parole, fire & rescue agencies, emergency management and campus and school public safety departments. Training will include information on the effects of methamphetamine, clandestine laboratory identification, recognizing and responding to drug-endangered children and hazards to first responders and the community.


LOCATION OF TRAINING: St. Matthews Community Center, 310 Ten Pin Lane, St. Matthews, KY 40207 1:00 – 5:00 pm