Pubdate: Sun, 24 May 2009 Source: Lancaster Eagle-Gazette (OH) Copyright: 2009 Lancaster Eagle-Gazette Contact: http://www.lancastereaglegazette.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3143 Author: Morgan Day Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin) COMMUNITY MEETINGS TO ADDRESS COUNTY DRUG PROBLEM Officials To Educate Citizens On Recognizing Signs, Reporting Suspicious Activity LANCASTER -Concerns that the heroin and prescription drug problem in Lancaster is too close for comfort spurred local officials to organize meetings to assuage residents' fears. Lancaster police and Prevention Works for a Drug Free Fairfield County are trying a new approach to the problem by playing host to two neighborhood discussions. Officials from both agencies hope the neighborhood meetings will help educate residents so they can report helpful information to the police, said Prevention Works Director Toni Ashton. Not only that, but Ashton hopes the education will reduce the instances of prescription drug and heroin abuse. That's a problem that's been on many residents' minds, she said. "I had people telling me about concerns with finding needles on the sidewalks or in the alleys and what do they do with the needles, and kids playing out in the yard and being around some of the paraphernalia," she said. Lancaster Police Chief Dave Bailey has heard similar concerns. "Everyone has questions: What do they do? How do they report drug activity? What do they do if they find needles?" Bailey said. "In essence, how do they deal with this." Ashton and Bailey want residents to be able to recognize warning signs not only in individuals, but also in terms of what's going on in their neighborhoods. Sometimes an indicator of drug activity is a rundown residence or an unsightly area in a neighborhood. Those often are breeding grounds for crime, Bailey said. "When you let one house or one area deteriorate, it seems to send a signal that it's all right to do unlawful things in that area," he said. Fairfield-Hocking Major Crimes Unit Cmdr. Eric Brown will attend the meetings. Brown, whose unit investigates major narcotics offenses, said the communication at the meetings will help the public and law enforcement. "A person that calls in may be calling in for something they feel is insignificant, but for us it may be information we've been waiting on for months and months," Brown said. "It may be the one thing that cracks an investigation wide open for us." - --- [sidebar] The Lancaster Police Department and Prevention Works for a Drug Free Fairfield County will host two neighborhood meetings to tackle heroin and prescription drug use in Lancaster. What: First Neighborhood Meeting Where: West After School Center, 620 Garfield Ave., Lancaster When: 7 to 8 p.m. Tuesday What: Second Neighborhood Meeting Where: Maywood Mission Church, 1029 S. Broad St., Lancaster When: 7 to 8 p.m. June 9 - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom