FCN has published revised guidance for police officers and staff tasked with carrying out Evidential Drug Identification Testing (EDIT). This guidance replaces the previous EDIT Good Practice Guide prepared by the College of Policing (formerly the NPIA) in 2016. 

Please cascade this guidance to all relevant staff and managers. This includes drug experts, custody and forensic teams.

The revised guidance has been compiled by the FCN with support from an EDIT working group of current practitioners.

Further to this the College of Policing is revising their training guidance which will be published in early 2023.

EDIT uses Home Office approved drug testing kits and devices along with a Streamlined Forensic Reporting (SFR) process. Where there is suspected possession of a controlled drug for personal use it enables officers to make rapid disposal decisions instead of bailing the person pending further forensic analysis. It can be used regardless of whether the suspect admits possession. This simplifies and speeds up the criminal justice process, assists timely treatment interventions and makes significant savings in police time and forensic submission costs, without harming the integrity of individual cases.

FCN would like to thank the members of the working group for their help in producing the document and Avon & Somerset Constabulary for providing the images used.

The Good Practice Guide can be found here:

FCN-MGT-GUI-0028 Evidential Drug Identification Testing (EDIT) Good Practice Guide - 2023 v1.0 | FCN