Pubdate: Wed, 12 Jul 2006
Source: Idaho Statesman, The (ID)
07120323&SearchID=3D73250832441741
Copyright: 2006 The Idaho Statesman
Contact:  http://www.idahostatesman.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/204
Author: Brad Hem

JIM TIBBS NAMED IDAHO DRUG CZAR

Gov. Jim Risch appointed former Boise police officer and City
Councilman Jim Tibbs as Idaho's new drug czar, prompting optimism from
local detox center advocates and increasing speculation among
Democrats about Tibbs challenging Mayor Dave Bieter in 2007.

As drug czar, Tibbs will be in charge of coordinating efforts among
state agencies to fight drug abuse across the state. He reports
directly to the governor and serves as long as the governor wants him.

Tibbs' first order of business in his new job will be to compile a
complete list of the state's resources for fighting drugs and how they
are being used, he said.

"You can't really understand where you want to go until you know where
you are," he said. "It will be a challenge to identify the programs,
review their strengths and weaknesses and put in place an effective
plan for coordination of services throughout the state."

Tibbs served as a Boise police officer for 34 years, rising to
lieutenant before Bieter named him interim police chief in 2004.

Bieter followed the recommendations of a citizen committee and did not
give Tibbs the permanent chief job. That drew criticism from Tibbs'
supporters, including several Boise police officers.

At Tibbs' retirement party in December, Tibbs' fans passed out red,
white and blue "Tibbs for Mayor" buttons, even though the election was
two years away.

"We'll have to see what the future holds," Tibbs said Tuesday. Tibbs
resigned from his seat on the state prison board to become drug czar.

The Boise mayor post is non-partisan, but area Republicans have griped
about Bieter, a former Democratic state legislator, defeating
Republicans Chuck Winder and Vaughn Killeen in the 2003 election.

"Losing the mayor's seat to a Democrat is something that some
Republicans have been working on since the day Mayor Bieter took
office," said Nicole LeFavour, a Democratic legislator in the North
and East Boise district where Bieter once served. She also backed
longtime Councilman Jerome Mapp, whom Tibbs defeated in last year's
city elections.

LeFavour speculated that Risch appointed Tibbs to give him a
springboard to run for mayor.

Tibbs heard the same political chatter last year when people said he
was running for City Council to set himself up for a mayoral bid.

Risch made no mention of political wrangling when he appointed Tibbs.
The governor said he was looking for someone who understands the
impact methamphetamine has on people, the workings of government
agencies and the ability to work with people.

"As I looked for an individual who could do all that, Jim Tibbs came
to the forefront as someone with outstanding credentials and the
ability to cooperatively develop a statewide plan to combat the
problem," Risch said.

Risch said Tibbs will act as his liaison.

"I'm not under the impression that we're going to solve the problem,"
Risch said. "But I believe we will be able to move it forward."

Risch said he hopes the next governor -- U.S. Rep. C.L. "Butch" Otter,
R-Idaho, is running against Democrat Jerry Brady -- will retain the
czar position.

"It's up to the next administration," Risch said. "If this works --
and I would be surprised if it doesn't -- I would be surprised if (the
next Idaho governor) didn't carry on."

If Tibbs ran for mayor and won, he would have to take a pay cut: Drug
czar pays $98,000 a year, compared to the $91,224 Bieter earns as mayor.

When asked to comment about Tibbs' appointment, Bieter congratulated
him, and then pointed out what his administration has done to fight
drugs, including restricting the sale of pseudoephedrine, creating a
detox center subcommittee and partnering with schools to expand
after-school programs for kids.

Tibbs, who supervised Boise's narcotics unit for about three years in
the mid-1980s, said he has not given up on society's battle against
drug use.

Tibbs said there must be a balanced approach that includes prevention
and treatment, as well as law enforcement.

Police can always use more resources to fight drugs, but Idaho seems
to be weak on prevention and treatment, he said.

Bob Banks, who has led Boise city efforts to build a detox center,
said he wants to talk to Tibbs about the need for more treatment in
the Treasure Valley, which has just a handful of affordable detox beds.

Demand for the services is overwhelming and costs government agencies
and hospitals hundreds of thousands of dollars each year because
people who need treatment end up detoxing in jail or emergency rooms.

"I'm very optimistic that (Tibbs' appointment) is good for the detox
center," Banks said.
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MAP posted-by: Derek