Pubdate: Sun, 14 Aug 2005 Source: Helena Independent Record (MT) Copyright: 2005 Helena Independent Record Contact: http://helenair.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1187 Author: Carolynn Bright, IR Staff Writer Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine) COMMON THREAD While many of Helena's high-profile violent crimes 15 years ago had their roots in domestic violence, methamphetamine seems to have replaced it as, if not an impetus, at least a prevailing undercurrent. While the details of last month's beating death of local librarian Amy Marie Rolfe are still emerging, it appears her alleged killer had, by his own admission, been using methamphetamine in the days preceding the young woman's death. Lewis and Clark County Attorney Leo Gallagher doesn't want area residents to discount the effects of other forms of chemical dependency on violence in our community, but he's quick to add that methamphetamine has its tentacles woven into the majority of cases he sees. "Your day in, day out stuff is alcohol-related," he said this week. "But most of our serious, violent cases have meth underpinnings." Assault on domestic violence In 1996, then Lewis and Clark County Attorney Mike McGrath declared war on domestic violence. In the years he had been at the helm of the prosecutor's office, his deputies had always forged ahead with these types of assault cases when possible, but the numbers showed that what they were doing wasn't enough. At that time, two-thirds of the murders or attempted murders that had taken place in the Helena area in the past two years were related to partner or spousal abuse. Larry Garland gunned down his wife, Nina, in 1993. Also that year, Jeremy Woods strangled his fiance, Dawn Wallace, and her 20-month-old son, Jayme. In December of 1993, former Lewis and Clark County Attorney Charles Graveley hired a Butte man to kill his ex-girlfriend. She wasn't injured. In 1994, John Prichard strangled his wife, Tammy Truxton, and buried her body behind the apartment complex in which the pair lived. Her body wasn't discovered until 1995. Shannon Lamere stabbed her boyfriend's brother to death as she and her lover battled in August of that year. So, McGrath adopted a policy in which his staff aggressively prosecuted domestic violence cases -- with or without the cooperation of the victims. He wanted abusers to know that there were consequences for their actions. "It's true that we used to take the victim's wishes more into consideration," said McGrath at that time. "But the change in attitude is that society in general is a victim of these crimes." Law enforcement officers were given their marching orders -- document everything from the second they receive a domestic violence call, to the moment their involvement ends, thus providing McGrath's office with what they need to push forward with a case. McGrath's initiative didn't eliminate domestic violence in the community -- Helena's Friendship Center served 719 victims in fiscal year 2003/2004 -- but the area has not seen a domestic violence-related homicide since that time. Officials say McGrath's effort placed a new emphasis on domestic violence. New century, new crime Helena resident Richard Shreves introduced the community to a new century of crime by gunning down Walker T. Byrd in front of his mother's home near the Capitol. In 2003, Johnny Johnson peppered deputies with a shotgun following a stand-off that lasted several hours. Penny Wood changed a Helena mother's life forever that same year when she blasted through a stop sign, striking the woman's vehicle. In December 2003, Jamie Bristow essentially gutted Jason Grandy with a curved sword. Jared Rosling stabbed Jessica Dooley repeatedly in 2004, and then tried to burn her lifeless body. In July 2004, Lucas James McCoy fired an SKS rifle into the grill of a commuter's car. All of these crimes have one factor in common -- methamphetamine. According to statistics released by the Office of National Drug Control Policy, multi-jurisdictional drug task forces in Montana seized about 31,100 grams of methamphetamine in fiscal year 2004, and purchased about 7,200 grams in stings. In addition, authorities logged 35 methamphetamine lab seizures in 2004. Lewis and Clark County Sheriff Cheryl Liedle acknowledges that some of those numbers are down slightly from a couple of years ago -- particularly regarding the number of labs busted. She explains that recent measures taken by law enforcement and the Montana Legislature might factor into that. According to Liedle, laws passed by the Legislature in 2003 and earlier this year, allow for closer regulation of the precursors of methamphetamine, such as certain types of agricultural fertilizers and cold and allergy tablets containing psueudoephedrine. In addition, acceptance of Montana into the federal government's High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program at the beginning of the decade provided additional funds for enforcement of drug crime, along with more opportunity for local law enforcement to draw on the assistance of state and federal resources. That funding was cut back significantly this year, but the state was able to cover the loss. "Meth is probably one of the most frightening things that has hit our community," said Liedle. "It strikes right here at home." Recipe for violence According to Narcanon International's Web site, what makes methamphetamine users dangerous is the pattern they fall into once they become addicted. Methamphetamine -- when smoked or injected -- causes a rush that can last between five and 30 minutes. Meth triggers the adrenal gland to release a hormone called epinephrine (adrenaline), which causes the user's heartbeat to race, and metabolism, blood pressure and pulse to soar. The physical sensation that the rush gives the user most likely results from the release of dopamine in the pleasure center of the brain. The high itself can last between four and 16 hours. Many abusers smoke or inject more methamphetamine during this time in order to return to the euphoric state experienced in the rush portion of the cycle. The Narcanon Web site notes that the rushes become shorter each time until there is no rush and no high. According to the site, meth users become most dangerous when they are "tweaking." Tweaking occurs at the end of a binge, when nothing the user does will take away the feeling of dysphoria. Some users attempt to dull their discomfort, frustration and paranoia with alcohol or other drugs, making them more unpredictable. "A methamphetamine abuser is most dangerous when tweaking," the Narcanon site says. "The fact that a law enforcement officer is confronting the tweaker makes him more dangerous, not just to the officer on the scene but also to anyone nearby." Be prepared Liedle estimates that at least half of the calls her deputies respond to involve methamphetamine on some level. "(Methamphetamine) has changed things significantly," she said. "This job used to be pretty low key where we'd have violent situations every once in a while. Now, it's every day." The population at the Lewis and Clark Detention Center hovers at near 80 prisoners at any given time -- about 20 prisoners more the facility's maximum capacity. Liedle estimates that 90 percent of those prisoners are meth users. She adds that due to the heightened volatility of the meth-using criminals her deputies confront on the street, the deputies are suffering more job-related injuries. Thus, the number of worker's compensation incidents being reported in the sheriff's office has increased. "These are some of the most dangerous calls we're forced out on," Liedle said, adding that domestic violence calls rank closely. Liedle's deputies have encountered situations in which people high on meth yell at officers, fight with them, and even attempt to steal their service weapons -- and that's if the offenders don't have weapons of their own. "But they almost always have guns," she said. Because of the risk involved in dealing with meth users, law enforcement officers now receive specialized training. Liedle said her deputies learn how to recognize the signs that someone is using meth. While people using alcohol have glassy eyes and slurred speech, meth users often have clear eyes, speak concisely and move briskly as a result of over-stimulation -- often difficult to detect. Helena Police Chief Troy McGee added that officers are trained to identify potential methamphetamine labs, and how to respond appropriately. He explains that the chemicals used in the production of methamphetamine can be harmful and highly combustible. Liedle added that the demands that methamphetamine puts on her deputies has prompted her to place increased emphasis on physical and mental fitness, especially within the department's volunteer reserve program. In addition to providing her deputies with the necessary training to respond to methamphetamine-related incidents, Liedle provided them with the tools she believes are helpful in protecting themselves and the public in those situations. Most notably, the sheriff's department added Tasers to its arsenal last year -- a direct result of the increase in the number of meth-related calls, Liedle said. She said the "less-than-lethal" weapons provide another line of defense for the officers who come into direct contact with meth users almost daily. "We are fighting a war," said Liedle. "And they are our soldiers out there." McGee has been involved in law enforcement in the Helena area for about 30 years, and says he's seen a lot of different drugs flow through the community. Now methamphetamine "This one's bad and it is becoming more prevalent," he said, adding that he's confident that it's only a matter of time before some other drug gets a foothold. In the meantime, McGee says the members of his department will do whatever possible to keep the symptoms of methamphetamine from spreading, including dedicating two of his officers to investigating drugs full-time through the Missouri River Drug Task Force. "It was apparent in Helena (two years ago) that we needed more officers assigned to do that," he said of his decision to increase the HPD's investment in the program from one officer to two. Liedle said she is evaluating the possibility of following suit -- currently, the sheriff's department has one deputy assigned to the MRDTF. "We're doing everything we can to shut (places where people do meth) and the people doing it, down," she said. - --- MAP posted-by: Beth