To increase officer and public safety, responsibly utilize grant funding, and stay current with modern investigative tactics, the La Cygne Police Department has purchased a “Narc Ranger” spectrometer used in the identification of illicit substances. The device utilizes Raman laser technology, which measures how molecules scatter light, allowing for presumptive identification of substances.
This tool, in addition to a different style of spectrometer from the Spring Hill Police Department, was used during narcotic investigations in December ’25 and January ’26, where bottles containing a total of 5 fluid ounces of a suspicious liquid were located. Upon testing the substance with the spectrometers, officers received a presumptive positive result for fentanyl and methamphetamine, which may have otherwise gone undetected without this technology.
The subjects involved in these cases cannot be named at this time, as they have not been formally charged. We are currently awaiting laboratory confirmation from the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.
This purchase was made possible through a grant from First Option Bank, via the Louis and Dolpha Baehr Foundation and the Kid VanVlack Foundation14. Their support has been invaluable to our department.
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