Pubdate: Wed, 13 Feb 2002
Source: Oklahoman, The (OK)
Copyright: 2002 The Oklahoma Publishing Co.
Contact:  http://www.oklahoman.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/318
Author: Diana Baldwin

PARTNERS TACKLE PREVENTION

Lab: People Work Together

Oklahoma got the attention of federal officials when methamphetamine lab 
seizures in Oklahoma jumped from 34 to 1,000 in five years. The state 
became the third-largest methamphetamine lab seizure site in the country. 
More methamphetamine labs -- 200 -- were seized in Oklahoma City than 
anywhere else in the state last year.

Those statistics are why Oklahoma County has been selected as one of four 
sites nationwide chosen to hold a summit July 25 to discuss ways to prevent 
and reduce methamphetamine use.

District Attorney Wes Lane is the host.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, National Crime Prevention Council 
and Community Oriented Policing Services have created the partnership with 
Lane to bring together all of the individuals, groups and associations that 
need to be involved in this fight.

"There's a double-edge sword here," Lane said Tuesday as he announced the 
partnership.

"On one hand, it is a honor and I'm very gratified to host this.

"The double-edge sword here, the reason why we get to do this, is because 
we have a serious problem in this state that requires a serious and 
comprehensive response."

Jack Calhoun, crime prevention council president, said Oklahoma has a real 
issue with the effects of methamphetamines.

"This cancer gets a lot of victims -- addicts, kids, the environment. When 
this stuff is dumped, the environment gets poisoned," Calhoun said. "That 
multipronged victim suggests we can't do it alone.

"We have to partners in this -- mental health, public health environment 
folks, children, youth and family people, the schools, teen-agers themselves.

"Crime drops most where people roll up their sleeves and come together." 
Some 40 Oklahoma County and state leaders attended an initial planning 
meeting Tuesday with Lane and federal officials.

The district attorney promised to do whatever is needed to attack the 
methamphetamine problem in Oklahoma County.

The DEA and crime prevention council will assist the county in completion 
of the comprehensive plan. Lane said the two agencies could link Oklahoma 
County to available funding for implementation of the plan.

The district attorney said methamphetamine labs go hand in hand with 
criminal activity.

"With all of the labs comes the wide variety of criminality that is always 
associated with the drug business whether it's minor theft to shoplifting 
and all the way up to murder," Lane said.

"That doesn't even tell the entire story.

"We are finding children in these very highly toxic, explosive environments 
with chemicals around.

"These people cooking might be the family next door because you might not 
necessarily know what to be looking for.

"We don't even know the full impact of this."
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