August 3, 2023 -Springfield-  Hampden District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni and Adjutant General of the Massachusetts National Guard, Major General Gary W. Keefe, have announced the donation of TruNarc, a hand held drug analyzer, to the Hampden District Attorney’s Office.

Hampden District Attorney Gulluni stated, “The TruNarc device will allow members of my narcotics taskforce to field test suspected narcotics on site. Over 93% of toxicology reports completed in fatal overdoses reveal the presence of a synthetic opioid, usually fentanyl, as being present. This indicates the wide spread presence of these potent and deadly synthetic opioids available in the street level narcotics trade. TruNarc’s deployment in Hampden County will enhance the safety of officers and the public. Officers will be able to know the type and potential lethality of the substances they are handling within mere seconds. It will also inform investigators as to the make up of seized narcotics and potentially target the most lethal strains to get off the streets without needing to wait for a lab analysis”

Adjutant General of the Massachusetts National Guard, Major General Gary W. Keefe stated, “The National Guard Counterdrug Program supports local law enforcement and state counterdrug operations by leveraging its unique military capabilities, national resources and community focus. The procuring of TruNarc for use by the Hampden District Attorney’s is a continuance of our partnership in the fight against narcotics trafficking and promoting public safety in Massachusetts.”

The contribution by the Massachusetts National guard is the continuation of a relationship that was cemented with the signing of a memorandum of understanding in December of 2015, and renewed under the command of Major General Keefe in 2018.

The partnership allows the Hampden District Attorney’s Office and the Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit assigned to it to leverage the Massachusetts National Guard and Department of Defense resources to aid the Hampden District Attorney’s Office in its efforts to curtail and eliminate drug trafficking and distribution in the region.

Currently, two members of the Massachusetts National Guard are assigned to the Hampden District Attorney’s Office. One to Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni’s SAFE Unit, and another to his Hampden County Narcotics Taskforce. The Guard members work to maintain counterdrug information systems as well as provide intelligence analysis and support to the Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit assigned to the Hampden District Attorney’s Office.

In addition to the invaluable personnel assigned, the Massachusetts National Guard Counterdrug program as assisted the District Attorney’s Office as well as local police departments by purchasing over $40,000 in equipment over recent years.

The Trumark device represents an approximate $30,000 contribution to the Hampden District Attorney’s Office and its efforts for public safety and combating the illicit trafficking of narcotics in Hampden County.