Pubdate: Thu, 30 Jan 2003
Source: Munster Times (IN)
Contact:  2002 The Munster Times
Website: http://www.thetimesonline.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/832

PARTNERSHIP FOR DRUG-FREE LAKE COUNTY NEEDS INTERVENTION

The Issue: Antidrug Agency's Leadership

Our opinion: The political stain must be removed.

It is time for an intervention for the Partnership for a Drug-Free Lake 
County. Its addiction to political back-scratching rather than doing the 
work its name requires is dangerous to the physical and mental health of 
the people the agency is supposed to be helping.

How did this happen? Thank that power monger former sheriff, John Buncich. 
His bullying tactics finally got to be too much for many of the board 
members with a working knowledge of dealing with addiction problems. They 
left and Buncich replaced them with his cronies, including John Blount, the 
former sheriff's administrative assistant, and Loy Roberson, the former 
sheriff's spokesman.

What can be done? Well, there is a new sheriff in Lake County, one who is 
more interested in running an efficient, professional department that 
enforces the laws. He also is interested in doing his and his department's 
part in educating the public of the evils of addiction. After all, these 
law enforcement officials see every day the devastation visited upon 
individuals, families and communities as a result of substance abuse.

The partnership originally was developed under the aegis of the Lake County 
sheriff and the Lake County prosecutor, acting as honorary chairmen.

A new partnership is needed, and leadership for that should come from the 
men who occupy those offices -- Sheriff Rogelio "Roy" Dominguez and 
Prosecutor Bernard Carter.

Dominguez and Carter must be encouraged to take the initiative and form a 
new partnership with people and organizations with the skills and 
commitment to tackle problems of addiction, whether to alcohol, illegal 
drugs or glue-sniffing.

Under state law, each county has such a partnership organization made up of 
citizens to plan, monitor and evaluate comprehensive local alcohol and drug 
abuse plans. The Governor's Commission for a Drug- Free Indiana would have 
to approve such an organization. The commission must not hesitate to do so 
because the current organization is so tainted by politics.

Substance abuse knows no boundaries, so the new organization must reach out 
to Porter County law enforcement officials and substance abuse experts to 
work more closely to fight this serious problem plaguing all of Northwest 
Indiana.

In the meantime, the current partnership leadership should immediately ask 
one of its board members, Lita Filippo, to step down. Last weekend, she was 
charged with driving drunk after being arrested by a St. John officer. 
According to the police report, she refused to take a breath test because 
she didn't have to -- she was co-chairwoman of the Partnership for a 
Drug-Free Lake County. She also told the officers during the booking 
process that they were "low-life cops" and that the jewelry she was wearing 
"is worth more than you cops make in a year."

Her credibility is suspect, to say the least.
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