An Insight into the Illinois State Police Meth Response Team

From The Illinois State Police – District 13

DU QUOIN – As we continue our special series examining the positions a Trooper can hold in the Illinois State Police, we are taking a look at these jobs for a twofold purpose:

• To make the ISP more transparent as an agency. It gives the public a view into what we do to make their communities safer.
• As a recruiting tool. If you’re thinking about a career in law enforcement the ISP has a ton of opportunity for you in positions you may not have even considered. So if you are pondering the job of a police officer, or know someone who is, check out the last 5 Saturday’s posts and stay tuned each Saturday

As with all specialty positions in the ISP, this group of individuals have received specialized training making them subject experts. Their training includes DEA certifications on safely dismantling labs, rolling or stationary, with yearly recertification to remain active.

The MRT provides the ISP, County Sheriff’s Departments and City Police Departments with the resources to handle these dangerous criminal activities. MRT also serves as it own Crime Scene Investigator due to the hazardous nature of the substances they work with.

They document for prosecution, photograph, weigh and dispose of the precursors typically found in meth labs. They provide expert testimony in court regarding meth related activity and serve the community through their contributions of locking drug abusers and manufacturers behind bars. They are also subject to 24/7/365 call out to handle these duties. They also provide resources to educators in the community concerning drug abuse trends and detection.