Pubdate: Wed, 17 Aug 2005
Source: Journal Standard, The (Freeport, IL)
Copyright: 2005 The Journal Standard
Contact: http://www.journalstandard.com/forms/letters/
Website: http://www.journalstandard.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3182
Author: Travis Morse
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

FEDERAL MONEY FLOWS TO FIGHT METH

Two Area Task Forces Benefit From State Grants

FREEPORT - Along with signing legislation strengthening the penalties for 
manufacturing methamphetamine, Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich also recently 
announced significant federal funding that will be available to state law 
enforcement teams fighting the meth problem, including grants for area 
agencies like the State Line Area Narcotics Team Task Force and the 
Blackhawk Area Task Force.

According to a news release from the Governor's Office, SLANT, which covers 
Stephenson, Winnebago, and Boone counties, will receive a $149,995 Justice 
Assistant Grant, and the Blackhawk Area Task Force, which covers Jo 
Daviess, Carroll and other counties, will receive an $86,970 JAG grant.

Specific information on how the grant funding will be implemented was not 
available, but Lt. Lincoln Hampton from the Illinois State Police said that 
generally the money will be used to train personnel about the dangers of 
meth and how to deal with the clean-up and disposal of meth labs.

Master Sgt. Robert Waggoner with SLANT said his office had not yet been 
notified Tuesday about what the grant funding can specifically be used for. 
Officials with the Blackhawk Area Task Force were not available for comment.

"We have not been notified about the guidelines," Waggoner said.

This grant announcement comes at the same time as the Governor's recent 
signing of Senate Bill 562, which contains a major rewrite of the state's 
criminal laws dealing with meth, to group those laws together and address 
the differences between meth and other illegal drugs, states a news release 
from the Illinois Attorney General's Office.

"It has to be addressed in a different way than other drugs," said Melissa 
Merz, a spokesperson for the attorney general.

Among other things, the legislation creates a new offense called aggravated 
participation in meth manufacturing, a Class X felony mandating jail time. 
Officials say this new offense better protects children who are exposed to 
meth production by ensuring mandatory jail time for those who manufacture 
meth where children reside.

In addition, the new law states that those who manufacture meth in hotels, 
motels, apartment buildings, or condominiums will face mandatory jail time. 
This provision of the law is important, Merz said, because it addresses the 
fact that meth manufacturing endangers everyone in the vicinity, not just 
the drug users.

"You're putting other people at risk," Merz said. "Making meth endangers 
everyone around you."

The new law also creates offenses targeting those who shop for, transport, 
or assemble meth-making materials, and those who work as lookouts or guards 
for meth manufacturers. It also imposes tougher penalties on those who 
steal anhydrous ammonia for the purpose of making meth, states the Attorney 
General's Office news release.

To Hampton, it's important to have tougher meth legislation to "serve as a 
deterrent" to those who make the dangerous drug. Meth is becoming a 
significant problem in the southern and central parts of the state, and 
continues to spread, Hampton said.
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