Air quality a major challenge in law enforcement

Electrocorp units protect indoor air in evidence rooms, police stations

When a sheriff’s office in a county in North Carolina experienced air quality problems, they did not merely accept is as unavoidable - they found a solution in the RSU 48 CC.

IAQ concerns in law enforcement are much more profound than those found in other workspaces: Not only are law-enforcement officers exposed to the “normal” IAQ contaminants from building materials, communication centers and ventilation systems, but also to contaminants linked specifically to police work -- including overstocked property rooms, evidence in form of narcotics, bio-hazards, flammable liquids, weapons, fire aftermath, etc -- which all add up to a substantial list of possible indoor air quality concerns and correlated health effects.

Electrocorp has equipped countless police stations and property rooms across North America with powerful activated carbon and HEPA air cleaners to provide relief from these airborne contaminants and to ensure better workplace health and safety conditions

Industrial air purification equipment in a professional facility

Law Enforcement spaces that could use an air cleaner

Law enforcement spaces can face a range of airborne contaminants, from mold and chemicals in property rooms to fumes, particles and biological pollutants at offices and crime scenes. Air cleaners help improve indoor air quality and create safer working environments.

Property rooms - a treasure trove for IAQ contaminants

Property rooms can accumulate moisture, mold, chemicals, dust and other airborne contaminants, especially when storing partially dried plant evidence. An air cleaner can help reduce these IAQ concerns and support a safer environment.

Police workstations and offices

Police offices and workstations can expose officers to dust, fumes, chemicals, mold, bacteria and viruses. Printers, electronics, furniture and building materials can also contribute to poor indoor air quality and related discomfort.

Crime scenes with unpredictable IAQ


Crime scenes can contain unexpected chemicals, fumes, drugs, smoke and biological contaminants. Portable air cleaners can help reduce airborne pollutants and improve air quality without disrupting the investigation.

Case in point: North Carolina evidence room

The sheriff's office in North Carolina had to store drugs such as marijuana plants in the evidence room, and there were noticeable odors in the closed-off space.

Conventional air purifiers that rely on HEPA filtration would not have been effective in this case. HEPA removes only fine particles and dust from the ambient air.

For fumes, odors, chemicals and gases, the best filtration media is virgin activated carbon. Made from natural materials such as wood and coconut husks and treated with oxygen, activated carbon is extremely porous and provides a large internal surface area for the adsorption of gaseous pollutants.

The sheriff’s department purchased Electrocorp’s RSU 48 CC unit, a tall air scrubber with a multi-stage filtration system that includes a HEPA for particles as well as a 120 lb. activated carbon filter for the removal of odors, chemicals, gases and fumes.

They placed it in the evidence room, where it could run continuously on a low setting, drawing contaminated air through its filters and releasing scrubbed air into the room.

The evidence room technicians soon noticed a difference in air quality.

“With the odors of drugs, especially marijuana,” says T.K. of the North Carolina sheriff's office in question, “this system removes the odors and smell of different types of evidence for all personnel handling the evidence in and around the vault. [It] has been one of the best investments for the evidence technicians in the evidence vault. ”

Suggested air cleaners for law enforcement officers

For law enforcement office spaces and administrative areas, Electrocorp’s RAP series blends a sturdy metal-based design with industrial strength air filters. The RAPs feature activated carbon and HEPA filters, prefilters and optional UV (for mold and biological contaminants).

The RSU series offers the same types of unbeatable air filters, but with a slightly different design, which allows the air to be cleaned quickly and efficiently

For larger, warehouse-sized property rooms or spaces, Electrocorp also offers the AirRhino, with a 100 lb. carbon filter, a Super-HEPA and pre-filters.

In office spaces, a smaller room air purifier may also do the job, as evidenced by a client who purchased an AirMedic unit from Electrocorp’s parent company AllerAir (specializing in home and office air purifiers).

He has been using a carbon + HEPA air purifier from AllerAir for many years: “I began as Property Officer and immediately started having upper respiratory problems for approximately nine months,” Public Safety Officer J.M. says.

“After purchasing two of the AirMedics, my problems almost immediately cleared up and have never returned.”

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