Pubdate: Thu, 29 Jun 2006 Source: Peoria Journal Star (IL) Copyright: 2006sPeoria Journal Star Contact: http://pjstar.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/338 Note: Does not publish letters from outside our circulation area. Author: Andrea Frampton, The Journal Star Canton Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine) DRUG TASK FORCE PROPOSED IN CANTON Interim Police Chief Wants City To Work Independent Of State Police The city's interim police chief, Bill Doster, told council members this week he would like to see Canton adopt its own drug-enforcement task force. "We have a significant drug problem with crack cocaine in Canton," Doster told council members during Tuesday's committee meeting. Doster proposed hiring two additional officers to be trained for drug enforcement, which would allow city police to serve their own search warrants. Canton police now rely on Illinois State Police to issue warrants, which can take hours to receive, Doster said. With a city drug task force, money confiscated from a drug raid would stay in Canton instead of going to the state police as it does now, Doster said. Doster also said the 14 officers are not trained for emergency situations such as a hostage crisis, and he would like to set up an emergency training program in August. In an unrelated police matter, the council discussed the city's search for a new police chief to replace retired Police Chief Don Edwards, who worked for the department since 1975. The search will be narrowed to six candidates Monday. In other business, city engineer Keith Plavek of Maurer and Stutz Inc. in Canton advised the Council of at least five problem areas noted during a study last month of a 6,000-foot section of the city's sewer system. Plavek said a camera was used in the study, and that collapsed pipes, water main breaks and clogged areas are just some of the problems with the city's sewer system. The problem areas combined with rising storm water have caused sewage water to seep into the city's streets. "We need to know the condition of the sewers," Plavek said. "It's an area easily ignored ... We want to eliminate the (combined sewer overflow)." Plavek estimates it would cost $140,000 to study an additional 70,000 feet of the sewage system under the Kilroy Lift Station near Canton Lake. The council will take a formal vote July 5 on whether to allocate $100,000 for further studies. "We're reactive instead of proactive (with the sewage system)," Councilman Joe Reed said. "What amount is put (toward it) is what needs to be decided." At that meeting, Plavek will present a report on separating the storm runoffs from the sewer runoffs. The council also discussed the draft of a new vicious dog ordinance. If passed, the ordinance would allow police officers to write citations for dogs considered vicious and may prohibit pit bull breeds in the city. A final draft will be drawn up in the next weeks. Councilman Eric Schenck proposed the ordinance after his dog was recently attacked by another dog. - --- MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman