One Day Seminar

Course Description

This course covers the "trendy" drugs of abuse that are often unfamiliar to or overlooked by police agencies already overloaded with conventional narcotics issues. This course is for the narcotics or vice detective, juvenile officer, DARE instructor, patrol or traffic officer, Drug Recognition Expert, narcotics or sexual assault prosecutor, sexual assault medical personnel or paramedic who wants to be on top of current trends in the RAVE crowd, nightclub scene, college and high school environment, gay community, etc. The course will provide the learner with a historical and legal perspective on flunitrazepam (Rohypnol or roofies), gamma hydroxy butyrate (GHB or Liquid Ecstasy or Easy Lay or Scoop), ketamine (Special K or Vitamin K) and MDMA (Ecstasy), with some reference to mushrooms, LSD and related drugs. And, the course will provide understanding as to why these drugs are used, their effects, paraphernalia and packaging. Attendees will learn about RAVE parties (underground, semi-underground and aboveground) and how to confront them as a narcotics problem, not just as traffic or crowd control issue. The latest information is provided on drug-facilitated sexual assault investigations. Videos and actual paraphernalia are utilized. The seminar also provides information on the "nutraceuticals" such as creatine and other over the counter so-called health food supplements; personal and family health and safety is stressed in this segment. Handout material includes search warrant attachments for these unusual drugs of abuse. 

Instructors

Trinka Porrata retired recently as a Detective from the Los Angeles Police Department after 25 years of service, including eight years in Narcotics Division. During the past four years, Porrata became recognized as one of the top national experts on the "trendy" drugs of abuse, including flunitrazepam (Rohypnol or roofies), GHB (Scoop, Water, Liquid Ecstasy, Easy Lay), ketamine (Special K) and MDMA (Ecstasy, the Hug Drug) and the RAVE party scene. With a background in sexual assault and child abuse investigations, she has also become an expert on drug-facilitated rape. She wrote the legislative proposals to control GHB and flunitrazepam in California and has helped several other states with their legislation. Trinka has worked closely with federal legislators on these issues as well. She is a consultant to the California Drug Endangered Children (DEC) Program, funded by the Office of Criminal Justice Planning, which provides medical evaluation and follow up for children found in illicit drug labs and involves prosecution of meth-making parents for child endangerment. She is also a consultant/instructor with the California Department of Justice, Advanced Training Center. Porrata had extensive journalism experience prior to becoming a police officer, including time as a reporter with Newsweek magazine and the Detroit Free Press, and has been involved in writing scripts for law enforcement and prevention training videos. "Just a Routine Traffic Stop" is available from the Drug Enforcement Administration, Diversion Unit. The script was written by Porrata and Tom Page, OIC of the LAPD Drug Recognition Expert Unit until his recent retirement, and explores how the observation of prescription medications on a routine traffic stop can lead to a solid arrest and further investigation into diversion by the doctor or pharmacy involved through working with regulatory agencies. She has been interviewed worldwide about these trendy drugs of abuse.