Pubdate: Thu, 07 Apr 2005
Source: Walker County Messenger (GA)
Copyright: 2005 Walker County Messenger.
Contact:  http://news.mywebpal.com/index.cfm?pnpid=730
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2755
Author: Nathan Frick
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

COUNTY DRUG TASK FORCE MEETS FOR FIRST TIME

Group's Next Meeting April 19

The Walker County Drug Task Force, comprised of concerned citizens and 
public officials, had its first meeting Tuesday at the Walker County Civic 
Center.

Public and local officials attending included LaFayette Public Safety 
Director Charles "Dino" Richardson, Lookout Mountain Police Chief Wallace 
Taylor, members of the County Commissioner's office and the Lookout 
Mountain Judicial Circuit Drug Task Force.

Between 20 and 25 people attended.

Task force coordinator Angie Landstreet said members of the Chattooga 
County Drug Task Force attended the meeting to tell how its group was able 
to get started, and suggest strategies for the Walker group.

"Next meeting, we are going to split up people into four different 
committees: treatment, education, prevention and enforcement," she said. 
"People know what they are good at, so I'll let them tell me what they 
would like to do instead of me telling them."

Those who come to the meeting will also have the chance to lead one of the 
committees.

Rossville Police Chief Sid Adams was also at the forum and he said it will 
be a good thing once the group gets going.

"It is unusual to have so many people step up to the plate for something 
like this. There are not many situations where people are willing to 
dedicate that much time," he said.

Adams sees law enforcement authorities benefiting from the task force in 
two ways -- by keeping someone from getting on drugs or meth to begin with, 
and getting them off the drug or drugs.

"It would have a direct impact on us," Adams said.

For departments that are understaffed, meth usage has created extra work 
for them and cut into their time of working on other cases.

One of the future goals of the task force is to have a 24-hour hotline for 
anyone to call with drug-related issues. Landstreet said sometimes a person 
just needs someone to talk to.

"People are scared to call authorities and say, 'Hey, I'm hooked on this' 
because they are afraid to go to jail," she said.

Adams said the hotline can also help police get tips on the locations of 
labs and dealers.

The group also plans to put a billboard on U.S. 27, to advertise the task 
force.

The No. 1 goal of the group now is education of the public because the 
police cannot do it all.

"If you don't know about it, you are blinded at your eyes are shut," 
Landstreet said.

"Any time you can get the public involved and educate the public in general 
is good," Adams said.

The task force plans to go to art classes at local schools to have a 
competition for a group logo and possible name change.

"I would like to see teenage involvement and working against drugs instead 
of doing them," Landstreet said.

The task force's next meeting will be April 19, at 6:30 p.m. at the Walker 
County Civic Center. The group will continue to meet every other week. For 
more information, call Landstreet at (706) 858-2151.

"Any extra weapon we can have in the arsenal is a good thing," Adams said.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom