Pubdate: Mon, 10 Apr 2006
Source: Cadillac News (MI)
Copyright: 2006 Cadillac News
Contact:  http://www.cadillacnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3750
Author: Matt Whetstone, Cadillac News
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/dare.htm (D.A.R.E.)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

METH STILL A BATTLE

It's cheap, mobile, addictive and highly dangerous.

It's no wonder that police in northern Michigan are seeing increased 
methamphetamine usage and crimes associated with drug addiction.

"It's kind of an interesting thing going on right now, down in your 
area - Missaukee and Wexford and Osceola County - we're seeing an 
awful lot of meth. Over the last two years, we've seen the most of 
it," said 1st Lt. Chet Wilson of the Traverse Narcotics Team, which 
handles drug enforcement operations in the area.

Marijuana is still king in overall substances involved in TNT cases 
but meth has been climbing the ladder. In 2003, meth was involved in 
13 cases; it rose to 18 in 2004; and up to 29 in 2005, making it the 
second most involved drug in TNT cases.

At the same time, TNT states show cocaine has declined from 55 cases 
in 2003 to 38 in 2004 and 27 in 2005. Prescription drugs also have 
risen in the last three years, going from 15 cases in 2003 to 22 in 
2004 and 26 in 2005.

The problem with meth, Wilson said, is that it can be made anywhere. 
Police have found it in suitcases, backpacks, homes and trunks. When 
one person knows how to do it, they will usually teach others and the 
cycle continues, he said.

"A few years ago in Oceana County, a guy was over there with a mobile 
meth lab cooking right on the lakeshore," Wilson said.

The trend has been noticed by more than just police.

"Probably the most troubling trend has been this meth stuff - I've 
seen far more of that than we ever did before," said Wexford County 
Prosecutor William Fagerman. "The other trend that's troubling is the 
number of people abusing and trafficking prescription pain killers.

"We didn't see that at all four or five years ago," he added.

What's so troublesome is that meth and prescription activity has lead 
to other crimes committed by persons supporting drug habits.

For example, Fagerman said the man who entered Cadillac Family 
Pharmacy with a package he claimed was a bomb on Dec. 31, 2005 was 
after prescription drugs.

Cadillac Director of Public Safety Jeff Hawke said meth is common 
because of the ease which it's manufactured. Its main ingredients are 
common chemicals and some other items that can be easy to obtain. 
Cadillac Police still see marijuana more than any other drug.

"Marijuana has been common certainly throughout my career," he said. 
"It seems to be a drug of choice."

Hawke has seen drugs rise and fall in popularity during his career 
and meth is one that's on the rise.

Wilson agreed. Several years ago narcotics officers saw an increase 
in the drug ecstasy.

"You won't have any then all the sudden it's just there - all the 
sudden you have a big problem," he said.

Police do have tools to combat drugs. Meth has been one big target, 
especially in local counties. Since beginning work in Osceola County 
in 2004, officers have had marked success.

In 2003, TNT made no narcotics arrests in Osceola. In 2004, the 
agency made 38 and in 2005, 129 people were arrested.

"Certainly I think we have made a difference," Wilson said. "We've 
put a lot of people away from Osceola County and they've went 
straight to prison after some pretty significant cases. It was kind 
of easy pickens at first. Now, we're driving them underground more."

Osceola County Prosecutor Sandra Marvin, who serves on the TNT board, 
said TNT arrests are "a big part of our case load."

She said her office is seeing mostly meth and cocaine cases.

"Before TNT came down, we weren't seeing a lot of drugs because we 
didn't have any enforcement," Marvin said. "We knew they were there 
but they were not being prosecuted.

"The first year they participated, some people referred to it as 
shooting fish in a barrel because we were so overrun with drugs," she added.

Enforcement is a big part of getting the meth problem under control 
but so is awareness and education. Wilson said retailers have helped 
police tremendously by knowing what goes into meth manufacturing and 
alerting authorities if they see suspicious activities.

In one case, police arrested two people from Texas after a clerk 
informed them of a suspicious purchase. Without the awareness, Wilson 
said the pair would have brought and spread a new meth production 
method to the area.

Hawke said enforcement can also be focused on the demand side of the 
problem. Examples include DARE programs or school liaison officer 
programs where police can teach children to make positive choices 
when confronted with drugs.

Cadillac police work with Cadillac Area Public Schools in an effort 
to reduce drug possession within the school zone.

Without proactive efforts, the result can lead to further social 
problems such as increased crime rates for those supporting habits 
and the destruction of lives, Hawke said.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman