Pubdate: Tue, 26 Apr 2005
Source: Charleston Gazette (WV)
Copyright: 2005 Charleston Gazette
Contact:  http://www.wvgazette.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/77
Note: Does not print out of town letters.
Author: Dave Gustafson

UNITY AGAINST METH URGED

Groups must work together against drug, summit told

U.S. Attorney Kasey Warner boiled down West Virginia's methamphetamine
problem into a simple equation on Monday:

"Meth is bad. We need to work together. We need more funds. Let's move on."

Better cooperation among law enforcement, prosecution, federal agencies and
community groups was established as the goal of the state's first summit on
meth. The summit continues through Wednesday at the Charleston Marriott.

Summit coordinator James E. Copple said the hundreds of interested people
from across the state attending the "Building Meth-Free Communities"
conference would create recommendations specifically for West Virginia.

Copple has organized 15 such conferences across the country. "We're chasing
this problem in many states," he said. "We're coming in way too late."

West Virginia should "look west" to see how other states have dealt with
meth problems, Warner said, but he added that the state must avoid a
cookie-cutter solution.

While West Virginia police have busted many small labs, other states have
seen organized criminal groups import the drug and ingredients, he said.

A phenomenon called "smurfing" has already reached the state, he said.
Recently, a group of people traveled between drug stores on Corridor G,
Warner said. Each person bought the maximum amount of cold medicine they
could so that the group could cook the drug later.

Warner also said everyone involved with combating meth must help make sure
children found with meth labs get the treatment they need. A child must end
up with the best caregiver if he or she is taken from the home, he said.
That does not necessarily mean a relative.

Other local, state and federal officials and meth experts gave their
perspective of the problem Monday.

U.S. Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., warned of the likelihood that the state
Division of Criminal Justice Services would lose $6.5 million in grants to
combat drug problems across the state if the federal budget goes into effect
as is.

Rockefeller said law enforcement and other interested parties across the
country must lobby Congress to keep the current funding in place.

Kanawha County Prosecutor Bill Charnock said his office has made prosecuting
meth cases the top priority. A grand jury being seated next month will hear
nothing but drug cases, he said.

"The days of letting someone plead to a misdemeanor on the day of trial are
over," he said.

The prosecutor's office also wants to make sure someone indicted on a meth
charge must be electronically monitored with an ankle bracelet if they post
bond to ensure they do not continue cooking meth," Charnock said. Judges
have not warmly embraced the idea yet, he said.

Charnock applauded Kanawha County Sheriff Mike Rutherford's creation of a
drug tip line that has generated 800 calls since March 1 -- a rate of more
than 14 calls a day. Several other sheriffs in the state have since
established their own tip lines.

Members of the public are invited to a community forum on meth scheduled for
7 p.m. tonight at the Kanawha County Judicial Annex on the fifth floor.
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