Pubdate: Thu, 29 Jan 2004 Source: Daily Post-Athenian (Athens, TN) Copyright: 2004 The Daily Post-Athenian Contact: http://dpa.xtn.net/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1673 Author: Ben Benton Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine) STATEWIDE METH CAMPAIGN BEGINS State and local law enforcement agencies are teaming up with retailers and the public in a statewide campaign against the continually growing problem of methamphetamine production. The program is called the Tennessee MethWatch Program. "We're trying to educate the public," said McMinn County Sheriff Steve Frisbie. 'It's a team made up of everybody." Gov. Phil Bredesen said his office has entered a partnership with the Drug Investigation Division of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the Tennessee Police Chiefs Association, the Tennessee Retail Association and the Tennessee Sheriff's Association to create the program. State officials say the program will help connect the community with its sheriff's department and police departments. "Meth abuse is reaching epidemic proportions in Tennessee, particularly in rural communities," Bredesen said in a news release. "We're working with lawmakers to develop a comprehensive effort to address the problem, but the MethWatch program represents a critical first step. The only way to truly address the problem is to get everyone working together - from the TBI to local law enforcement officials, from retailers to citizens." Frisbie said the program is complete with a hot line for anyone who believes they've seen suspicious activity related to meth. The MethWatch program combines a public information campaign with an intelligence collection system, centering around a 24-hour TBI meth hot line, according to Bredesen's office. The number, 1-877-TNN-METH (877-866-6384), is intended to provide a simple, cost-effective way of deterring meth manufacturing, while at the same time gathering valuable information on suspicious activities. TBI Interim Director David Griswold said similar efforts in other states have been successful. "The hope is that by taking the initiative statewide, existing efforts to crack down on the production of meth can be augmented," said Griswold. Frisbie said a better-educated public will help law enforcement across the state. "We get calls already from people who see something they think is suspicious," Frisbie said of his department's continuing battle against the drug. "We've got to have the community's involvement." Meth still appears to be the drug of choice, "the poor man's cocaine," Frisbie said. Meth production and use pose dangers not only to society as a whole, but individuals, he said. "Meth labs pose a danger to officers, too," Frisbie said. "There are times officers have gotten into it before they know what it is." Frisbie said meth is different from cocaine in what combating the problem requires of law enforcement. "Cocaine is much more likely to be trafficked, while meth is actually manufactured and the process poses physical dangers to the cookers, users, their families and neighbors," Frisbie said. Although there have been numerous media accounts regarding meth production and the battle against labs, Frisbie said some people still question whether the problem is "real." "We need to let people know the problem is not just here. It's very widespread," the sheriff said. "The Southeast Tennessee Methamphetamine Task Force members have not ignored the problem." The number of methamphetamine raids and arrests made in McMinn and other nearby counties is not an indicator that law enforcement is failing in its enforcement efforts, Frisbie said. "I commend this Task Force. Our officers have trained and certified. It shows our officers are on top of things; they're dealing with it," he said of local and regional officers along with his own deputies who are part of the Task Force. Frisbie said meth raids often result in time-consuming work for officers as they process meth lab crime scenes, which can take many hours. The cost of cleanup at a meth lab site can range from $3,000 to $7,000 a crime scene, he said. "We have resources from federal government grants to help cover the costs of cleanup and overtime," said Frisbie. The sheriff said he hopes to continue training for his officers. He said he currently has four officers who have completed meth training, Drug Officer B.J. Johnson, Sgt. Bill Farmer, Deputy Guy McGill and Richard Robinson. "I'm hoping to put two more officers into training in March," Frisbie said. In the area, members of city police departments are also members of the Task Force, according to officials. Frisbie said, locally, response from the public has been very helpful to officers. He said businesses, schools and clubs have continued to request information on meth from the sheriff's department. "We're constantly getting calls from schools and civic groups to put on presentations on meth," he said. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom