With people understandably freaked out about the global spread of the deadly coronavirus, police departments around the U.S. are apparently trying to leverage to arrest meth dealers and users. “WARNING: If you have recently purchased Meth, it may be contaminated with the Corona Virus (sic),” the Merrill (Wisc.) Police Department wrote Wednesday on Facebook. “If you’re not comfortable going into an office setting, please request any officer and they’ll test your Meth in the privacy of your home. Please spread the word! We are here for you!” While some residents have been amused by this type of post, others aren't laughing. “This is a time when people need to be taking public health authorities very seriously,” University of California professor Stefano Bertozzi tells The Washington Post. “They’re undermining their credibility that will be very much needed if and when an epidemic comes to their community.”
