Pubdate: Tue, 12 Feb 2002
Source: Payson Roundup, The (AZ)
Copyright: 2002 The Payson Roundup
Contact:  http://www.paysonroundup.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1523

IT'S TIME TO GET TOUGH ON METH USE

Burglary, theft, assault, DUI, child abuse, domestic violence - these are 
just a few of the crimes related to drug use.

Payson has more than its fair share of such crimes, many of which are on 
the rise - and directly related to the use, sale and manufacture of 
methamphetamine.

Chief Gordon Gartner has "drawn a line in the sand" by asking the Payson 
Town Council Thursday to assist his department financially in its efforts 
to choke out the problem.

The police department is in the attack mode, having created a six- month 
aggressive, six-month enhanced-enforcement program to deal with the town's 
meth-related woes. Gartner is requesting $51,000 from the council 
contingency fund to finance a short-term battle.

The chief plans to increase his efforts to impact the meth problem by 
assigning two full-time Special Enforcement Officers. Enforcement will 
include a repeat offender program with enhanced penalties; reward money for 
informants; overtime for predicted workload increase; surveillance and 
drug-testing equipment and training not only for the officers, but for 
utilization by employers and civic organizations to educate Rim country 
residents about methamphetamine.

Daisy Gilker, the newly-appointed county attorney, has thrown her 
department's support behind Chief Gartner.

Yesterday, Gilker announced that as of March 1, she will aggressively 
prosecute all drug cases as they come across her desk. One hoped-for result 
is that there will be no more waiting for lab results - which can drag 
court cases out for months - while suspects flee, leaving their victims behind.

We urge the Payson Town Council to throw their support - and their funds - 
behind Chief Gartner in his effort to gain control of the illegal drug 
trade in Payson.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens