Local law enforcement agencies, nonprofit share cost of new narcotics incinerator

Posted on by Mike Fuhrman
Pictured (from left) are Danielle Benoit, SPD evidence tech; Officer S. Morales, TPD evidence tech; TPD Lt. Darren Payne; SPD Cpl. Chan Austin; Bill Cahill, MPD evidence tech; Lee Labelle, MPD evidence custodian; Robin Lindsey, SPD Evidence Tech; and SPD Assistant Chief Bryan Johnson.

Special to IFN

In a collaborative effort to enhance law enforcement capabilities in narcotics and evidence disposal, the Statesville Police Department, Mooresville Police Department, Troutman Police Department and the Drug-Alcohol Coalition of Iredell partnered to purchase a clean-burning incinerator designed for the destruction of narcotics and other drugs.

The agreement was approved by the Statesville City Council in December 2023, and the incinerator was recently installed and is now operational.

The incinerator, with an overall cost of about $60,000, was made possible by a shared funding approach, with each law enforcement agency contributing $16,351.00. In addition, DACI generously provided a $10,000 grant to help fund the project, furthering the mission to combat substance abuse, misuse, and overdose deaths in our community.

The need to provide a local incineration option arose after a facility for evidence disposal across the state stopped allowing law enforcement agencies to burn at their site. With few alternatives for evidence destruction, planning for a local incineration option began.

With the location of the new incinerator being in a designated heavy industrial zone, no additional zoning modifications were required for installation. The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality also confirmed that no additional permits would be needed unless the incineration exceeded five tons per year, which is very unlikely based on the total amount that is estimated to be destroyed each year.

“Equitably Shared Property” funds, permissible by the U.S. Department of Justice for law enforcement training and equipment, supported this essential project. With the installation complete, the SPD hosted a hands-on training for members from MPD, TPD, and DACI representatives to ensure effective and safe operation of the incinerator.

The Statesville Police Department extends its thanks to the Mooresville Police Department, Troutman Police Department, and DACI for their commitment to this project. The SPD also expressed its appreciation to the Iredell County Animal Services and Control Department for allowing local departments to utilize its incinerator for the safe destruction of unwanted, unused, and expired medications through programs like the National Drug Take Back initiatives and local Medication Drop Boxes.