Pubdate: Tue, 19 Jun 2001
Source: Union Democrat, The (CA)
Copyright: 2001 Western Communications, Inc
Contact:  http://www.mapinc.org/media/846
Website: http://uniondemocrat.com/
Author: Angie Boardman

COUNTY DRUG UNIT WILL GET BOOST

The Calaveras County Sheriff's Department will receive federal funds to
aid in drug investigations.

In a 4-1 vote, county supervisors on Monday approved a resolution
allowing the department to receive $368,000 to fund seven positions in
the narcotics unit.

Supervisor Tom Tryon of District 4 voted no. He said the drug problem
"doesn't belong in the realm of law enforcement."

The funds represent two grants earmarked for separate narcotics
operations.

One allows for $169,000 to be used toward investigations of drug cases
other than those involving marijuana, said Undersheriff Randy Grasmuck. 

The other $199,000 will be spent on marijuana cases, Grasmuck said. 

The grants will fund a full-time narcotics sergeant, three deputies, a
probation officer, a sheriff's technician and a deputy district
attorney. 

As part of anti-drug education, deputies also plan to visit schools and
speak to students about the dangers of drugs. 

The Sheriff's Department has received narcotics funding for the past six
years and Grasmuck says it's definitely helping. 

"We arrested 305 people for narcotics offenses last year," Grasmuck
said.

"That's a lot considering the population of the county is only about
40,000." 

The county's biggest drug problem is methamphetamine labs. Calaveras
County is fourth in the state, per capita, for meth labs, Grasmuck said.

"We've already taken nine drug labs this year," he said. "Last year, 17
were taken."

Part of the problem with the labs is that the drug, homemade from a
combination of easily acquired chemicals, is simple and inexpensive to
make, he said. Also, the county has many remote areas where drug makers
cooks attempt to hide their operations, Grasmuck said.

"But we find them," he said. "Our department is very aggressive at going
after narcotics offenders."

Marijuana growth also has been stemmed because of previous funds,
Grasmuck said.

"There were 18,000 marijuana plants eradicated last year in Calaveras
County alone," he said.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Doc-Hawk