Pubdate: Wed, 22 Jun 2005 Source: Ukiah Daily Journal, The (CA) Copyright: 2005 The Ukiah Daily Journal Contact: http://www.ukiahdailyjournal.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/581 Author: Tony Anthony Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?115 (Cannabis - California) Cited: Drug Enforcement Administration ( www.dea.gov ) AN AERIAL SCHOOL FOR SPOTTING CANNABIS Law Enforcers Statewide Come Here For Guidance This week Ukiah residents will notice a definite increase in helicopter traffic overhead. Nine helicopters, ranging from small Bell Jet Rangers to a National Guard Black Hawk from Moffett Field in the Bay Area, are taking part in a week-long Aerial Observation School being held at the Ukiah Airport as part of the ongoing marijuana suppression effort. The school is funded by the Drug Enforcement Agency whose larger goal is to eradicate cannabis growing nationwide. The Mendocino County Sheriff's Department plays an instrumental role, using its local expertise by hosting the training session for other law enforcement agencies. It all happens under the watchful eye of Sergeant Rusty Noe of the Mendocino Sheriffs Department. Noe is the Commander of "COMMET" or the County of Mendocino Marijuana Eradication Taskforce, the group teaching the Aerial Observation School. In addition to the DEA, the school is supported by the California National Guard. In all, there are 33 government agencies - local, state and federal law enforcement - involved in the program including other sheriff's departments and narcotics task forces. "They range from as far south as San Diego and north to Humboldt County," Noe explains. "It is no longer just a local problem - growers have spread throughout the state." Captain Kevin Broin of the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office explains. "It is natural for law enforcement to come to the place where there is expertise in a specific area. Sergeant Noe is our resident expert in this field and he's got a lot to offer others." "We offer this training every summer," says Noe, who is managing the 35 participating law enforcement students. Noe has been involved for 14 years and knows what he's talking about. "Today we're teaching spotting. All the pilots are experienced mountain fliers," he notes. "They fly at about 500 feet above the ground, the optimum height for spotting the plants. From that height it's easier to scan more area. "We fly three to four helicopters in a group with a designated lead pilot. We are doing two hour surveys," Sergeant Noe notes. Marijuana crops are grown mostly on forest land, often within state and National Park borders and sometimes on land owned by the Bureau of Land Management. Other gardens are grown on ranch land and still others on privately owned timber property. Noe explains that the growing of marijuana has become a dangerous problem. "In the past it has involved several shootings. Many of the growers live in their fields in order to protect their crops - after all, they are protecting a very expensive investment. "We're dealing with major growers here," says the Sergeant. "Our main goal is to protect the public." The Aerial Observation School is an educational tool to teach law enforcement agents how to spot marijuana plants that they will return to eradicate later in the year. "This year the cold weather has hampered us," Noe says. "The plants are younger and smaller and harder to spot. But still, there is a vast difference in color between the plants and the natural vegetation," he added, noting that this is the kind of observation technique they teach. For the growers, the knowledge that the government is actively pursuing eradication efforts has forced them to become smarter about hiding their plants. Many fields are now purposely shielded by forest growth. The plants grown in light filtered through the overhead trees are smaller and much harder to spot from the air. "But we know how to find them," Noe smiles. "That's what COMMET is all about."