Pubdate: Mon, 05 Apr 2004
Source: Charleston Daily Mail (WV)
Copyright: 2004 Charleston Daily Mail
Contact:  http://www.dailymail.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/76
Author: Megan Kenny
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

CANDIDATES READY TO TACKLE METH LAB PROBLEMS

Candidates All Have Experience In Law Enforcement

Two former law enforcement officers and one current one are trying be the 
long arm of the law that cracks down on Putnam County's growing drug problem.

While all three candidates for Putnam County sheriff had independent ideas 
on what top priorities they would pursue in the office, all three agreed 
that something would have to be done to get drugs, especially 
methamphetamine, under control in the county.

"These people can convert a $500 investment into $5,000 a day," said John 
Dailey, Putnam County's chief sheriff's deputy, during a Daily Mail 
editorial board meeting on Friday. "With taxes and the economy not so good, 
people are making money in illegal ways."

Dailey, a Democrat from Bancroft, said deputies discovered 28 meth labs in 
2003, double what they found in 2002. He said this year, the department is 
already on track to exceed last year's number.

To combat the meth labs, Dailey, who has been in Putnam County law 
enforcement for more than 25 years, said he needs more deputies.

"We could have seven officers working seven days a week just on meth labs," 
Dailey said.

He said there are plenty of grants available for hiring new deputies, but 
many of them expire after three years, leaving the county to make up the 
difference later.

Dailey, 44, said that the current sheriff's office maintains a good 
relationship with the County Commission, a relationship he plans to continue.

Dailey will face Bill Mullins, a retired Putnam County sheriff's deputy and 
former Hurricane police chief, in the primary in May.

Mullins said he would like to fight the drug problem by promoting 
educational programs in schools.

"It's about educating the young people about the dangers of drugs and 
alcohol and tobacco use," Mullins said. "I'd like to continue the good work 
the sheriff's department already does."

Mullins, 54, has some non-drug related ideas of his own. He wants to bring 
more computers in to the sheriff's office to make police work more efficient.

"Computers are valuable to police work," Mullins said. "There are tools 
that are necessary in police work, and computers are more efficient in 
crime investigation."

He said in addition to the drug problem, crime, such as burglary and 
vandalism, are up in rural areas of the county, a problem he plans to 
handle by stepping up patrols in more remote parts of Putnam County.

Both Democrats are planning on spending very little money on their 
campaigns, relying on signs around the county in Dailey's case and 
grass-roots efforts in Mullins' case.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom