Pubdate: Sun, 18 Mar 2001
Source: Anniston Star (AL)
Copyright: 2000 Consolidated Publishing
Contact:  P.O. Box 189, Anniston AL 36202-0189
Website: http://www.annistonstar.com/index.htm
Forum: http://www.annistonstar.com/speakout/
Author: Ashley Hall
Bookmark: Oxycontin http://www.mapinc.org/find?186

TASK FORCE AT WAR AGAINST NEW DRUG THREATS

More than 600 people of all ages sat quietly for several hours 
Thursday to try to learn a few things about drugs and teenagers.

"I'm ecstatic," said Mike Reese, an Alabama Beverage Control, or ABC, 
agent and one of the meeting's organizers, as he surveyed the crowd.

It was exactly the kind of turnout Reese and his co-organizer Lt. 
Richard Smith, head of the Calhoun County Drug Task Force, had been 
hoping for.

The two called the meeting about a month ago when a medley of 
problems involving drugs and young people surfaced in this area.

The Calhoun County Drug Task Force already had been investigating the 
growing popularity of the rave scene and the drugs it inspires, when 
they first started hearing of teen OxyContin abuse.

Smith and Reese decided to focus their collective attention like a 
laser on dealers that target young people.

On March 1, they initiated what Reese calls a "three-pronged attack" 
of increased enforcement, rehabilitation and education.

Thursday's meeting, dubbed "Operation Save Teens" was a key maneuver 
in the attack.

"We wanted to get the word out before anybody died," said Reese, "We 
knew most of the parents had never heard of raves. It's the new wave, 
and it's going to be more and more prevalent in the next few months."

On the enforcement flank, officers at the drug task force stepped up 
investigations of big-time dealers of OxyContin, an extremely 
addictive prescription pain killer, and the so-called "club drugs" 
like Ecstasy, GHB and Ketamine.

Then, on March 7, a Wellborn High School student overdosed on 
OxyContin. She survived, unlike some young people in some recent 
Gadsden cases.

"When that 13-year-old girl overdosed, that put us into overdrive," said Reese.

A little more than a week later, they had arrested three people on 
charges of distributing or trafficking OxyContin.

They also engaged about a week ago in an underage-drinking sting at 
area stores, bars and restaurants, fining seven of the 10 
establishments they investigated.

"We want these people to know that we're going to be checking them 
harder than we ever did before," Reese said.

As they investigated these and other cases, members of the task force 
and Reese, who works out of the task force office, were furiously 
planning and plugging Thursday's meeting, distributing flyers and 
calling up the news media.

The Calhoun County Drug Task Force is a combination of Anniston 
Police Officers and federally funded special investigators who work 
through the district attorney's office.

The nine members, which including its leader, Anniston police Lt. 
Smith, work with police in Anniston, Piedmont, Jacksonville, Weaver 
and Ohatchee, as well as the sheriff's offices in Calhoun and 
Cleburne counties. In addition to the federal funding the task force 
gets, each county and city government provides money for equipment.

The Calhoun County Drug Task Force has a reputation for 
accomplishment, as the audience at Thursday's meeting learned from 
ABC Sgt. Andy Hardy, who works out of Montgomery,

"I firmly believe that they are the best in Alabama," said Anniston 
City Manager Rick Whitehead. "They are known as being one of the 
best."

Calhoun County Sheriff Larry Amerson agreed.

"The quality of the work they do is well known, and statistically the 
data is there to support that," he said.

As of October, the drug task force had made more than 2,500 arrests 
in six years.

"They're young, they're energetic and they love their jobs," said 
Reese, "They get out of there and get the job done."

Both Whitehead and Amerson said the task force's success springs from 
a combination of excellent training, enthusiasm and leadership.

"You've got to have strong leaders," said Reese. His colleague Smith 
is just that, he said.

Amerson agreed that Smith's experience is the key to the task force's 
consistency and continuity.

Also playing a key role in the latest local assault on drugs is 
Reese. Though not a member of the task force but of the state-funded 
ABC Board, Reese teams up with the task force and shares their office.

"He's energetic and enthusiastic and, as you can see, he's very 
involved in what he's doing," said Amerson. "It's not just a job for 
him."

Indeed, all members of the task force have been working around the 
clock in the last two weeks. Reese said he has had two days off this 
month.

The group is dedicated to children, Reese said. "I don't care who you 
are, when there are kids involved the tensions are already high."

And their hard work is having an impact.

"I think we went a long way (Thursday) night," said Reese.

Indeed, many residents have said they had never seen a community 
meeting draw such a crowd as Operation Save Teens did.

"I can not recall one (like it)," said Anniston Mayor Chip Howell, 
who was unable to attend. "Certainly not one that was so well 
attended. People are searching for answers on how they can react and 
be better parents."

It was the goal of Smith, Reese and the rest of the task force to 
educate parents on what they are up against.

"The reality is that without the support of the community, there's 
very little (law enforcement) can do," Amerson said.

But Reese said they are not finished yet.

They still have to conquer the rehabilitation front, and there is 
much more educating to be done, he said.

"Now we've got to have more meetings and come up with some 
solutions," Reese said.

The task force already has received several invitations to come to 
churches and schools and teach residents about the new drugs children 
face today.

"And," Reese said, "we're going to go to every one."
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MAP posted-by: Kirk Bauer