Pubdate: Sun, 18 Jun 2000
Source: Tri-City Herald (WA)
Copyright: 2000 Tri-City Herald
Contact:  http://www.tri-cityherald.com/

METH LAB FUNDING A PROBLEM FOR ALL, NOT JUST SHERIFF

Umatilla County Sheriff John Trumbo's frustration over a lack of money
to clean up methamphetamine labs is understandable, but his directive
to deputies that they put on blinders to these dangerous operations
was extreme.

The Herald obtained a memo Trumbo wrote to his staff, noting that
Oregon's Department of Environmental Quality has no more money for
hazardous waste cleanup at meth labs, and sharing his understanding
that his department would be responsible for the often costly cleanup
of any labs it found. He told his deputies he didn't want them to take
any initiative in investigating methamphetamine labs.

"Thank your snitches for the information they are 'not giving you.'
Keep your eyes closed and pretend you have a cold. I don't want any 'I
found a meth lab' calls. Obviously, sometimes we have no choice, we
will deal with those 'very limited' incidents when they occur."

The words are startling, indeed, to a citizenry used to tough talk
from law enforcement, particularly with regard to drugs.

Resources necessarily have to be a consideration for law enforcement
agencies, but the idea Trumbo is reining in his deputies in uncovering
these often dangerous operations that produce one of the most
insidious and dangerous street drugs is disturbing. Law enforcement
should not overlook any serious crime.

Nor should it have to. A better tack would be for Trumbo to raise hell
with the public, lawmakers and other public policy makers about this
David-and-Goliath battle facing his and other agencies.

There is perhaps no greater challenge facing police than the
skyrocketing rate of methamphetamine manufacture, trafficking and use.

In 1999, Oregon law enforcement agencies uncovered 337 methamphetamine
labs, according to Oregon State Police Lt. Ed Mouery. That's a 27
percent increase from 1998's 265 lab busts and a fourfold increase
from 1995's 67. In Washington, 600 labs were seized last year, up from
just 25 in 1994.

In the Mid-Columbia, the trends are similar. Oregon's Blue Mountain
Enforcement Narcotics Task Team, which comprises all law enforcement
agencies in Umatilla and Morrow counties, already has found six
methamphetamine labs, compared with seven in all of last year. The
Tri-Cities Metro Drug Task Force, with 27 labs found through June 1,
is closing in on its mark of 32 for all of last year. In 1998, there
were just five.

The cost of cleaning up a meth lab site in Umatilla and Morrow
counties has averaged about $4,000, an OSP official said. For every
pound of methamphetamine produced, the process leaves about five
pounds of toxic waste. The prevalence of the labs, too, can be
attributed to the relatively low manufacturing costs. The drug can be
manufactured with chemicals readily available at a hardware store.
About $80 of ingredients can produce an ounce of meth worth up to $1,000.

Given those figures, it's easier to understand Trumbo's concerns about
being able to financially handle the meth labs his deputies uncover by
chance, let alone by aggressively seeking them out.

Oregon has a pool of money to help with meth lab cleanup generated by
the sale of drug-related assets seized by law enforcement agencies.
The cities and counties contribute 5 percent of the money they receive
from the sale of assets seized in drug busts, and the Oregon State
Police contributes 10 percent of its take.

But changes in the forfeiture laws have limited this fund
considerably, and last year's legislative infusion into the Oregon
Environmental Quality Department meth lab cleanup budget was not
enough. The annual $200,000 budget for meth lab cleanup lasted just
four months.

Although some money has been available from the feds, it, too, is
limited and intermittently available, Mouery said.

Members of the Northwest congressional delegation are seeking to more
than double federal aid to crack down on drug enforcement - from $5.1
million this year to $12 million next year. They also would like to
expand the areas in Oregon and Washington that are considered
"high-intensity drug-trafficking areas" so they can get more money.
But the Clinton administration has requested only a nominal increase
in funding for those areas.

Although Sheriff Trumbo's suggestion to his deputies not to pursue
meth labs was misguided, it can serve as a wake-up call to folks in
his county and throughout the Northwest.

The methamphetamine problem is growing at an alarming rate. Citizens,
elected officials and other policy makers must deal with this problem
aggressively and help our law enforcement agencies find the resources
they need to deal with it.

No one should turn a blind eye to this insidious epidemic.
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