Pubdate: Tue, 23 Jan 2007 Source: Union Democrat, The (Sonora, CA) Copyright: 2007 Western Communications, Inc Contact: http://uniondemocrat.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/846 Author: Amy Lindblom Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine) COUNTY GETS $250K GRANT TO FIGHT METH State grants from the Office of Emergency Services will help Calaveras and Tuolumne counties' sheriff's offices fight methamphetamine. Out of $29 million the governor distributed statewide for the California Multi-Jurisdictional Methamphetamine Enforcement Team program, Calaveras County Sheriff's Department received $295,000 and Tuolumne County Sheriff's Office received $250,000 to combat methamphetamine trafficking and manufacturing. Calaveras County Undersheriff Mike Walker said the money will pay for a sergeant, two deputies, an Angels Camp police officer and a half-time Child Protective Services officer. Today, the Calaveras County Board of Supervisors is expected to approve these new positions when they meet to discuss the grant, Walker said. Walker said his officers will specifically target methamphetamine labs in the county. "Even the small ones have a tremendous impact on our community by supplying a large amount of meth," Walker said. "These labs are polluting our groundwater, and any kids who live in the home where the meth is being made are being subjected to drug abuse." Tuolumne County Sheriff's Office plans to disclose Wednesday how the $250,000 will be spent. Sheriff's Lt. Dan Bressler said part of the money will be used to bring a Sonora police officer to the sheriff's narcotics team. More than $12 million of the state grant went to counties in the Central Valley while $1.46 million went to Imperial and San Diego counties. The money was distributed according to proportional needs of each county as determined by an advisory board made up of county sheriffs, district attorneys, chief probation officers and city police chiefs from all over the state. - --- MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman