Police are looking for people in Carroll County who fit a certain description: children between the ages of 10 and 13. They want the youngsters to attend Camp COPS, which will run from July 7 through 11 at the Carroll County Farm Museum. COPS stands for Courage to be Outstanding with Pride and Self-confidence. The camp is run by the Maryland State Police, with help from the Carroll County sheriff's office and the Westminster Police. The goal, according to Trooper First Class Mark Rauser, is to give young people an inside view of what law enforcement officers do. [continues 390 words]
Teens who talk to an adult when they are troubled are less likely to use alcohol, and local police are doing what they can to make themselves available to teens. The National Household Survey on Drug Abuse released a study showing that youngsters who were willing to go to their parents or another adult with concerns about a serious problem were 10 percent less likely to have drunk alcohol recently. But police can't force parents to get involved, so law enforcement does its part to reach out to youths who might be in danger of falling prey to alcohol or drug abuse, said Sgt. Mike Bible, community education officer for the Westminster city police. [continues 372 words]
A medical marijuana bill in the General Assembly this session is sparking concern among some in Carroll County law enforcement. The bill is designed to let doctors prescribe marijuana to specific patients who are participating in a program. An oversight board would keep tabs on patients' progress and the health benefits and risks. Using the drug would continue to be a criminal offense in Maryland for those who do not qualify for the program. But Jerry Barnes, Carroll County state's attorney, said the problem with the bill is that marijuana is still federally illegal. And since the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency regulates prescriptions, doctors cannot prescribe the drug legally. [continues 495 words]
Crack, Marijuana Still Lead Penn Hills Usage Heroin. The drug's name conjures up images of dimly lit apartments littered with empty syringes, little packets of white powder and junkies, wide-eyed and desperate for their next fix. But perhaps heroin should make people picture nice, suburban houses, replete with picket fences and two-car garages. Heroin increasingly is invading suburban neighborhoods around Pittsburgh and nationwide. Last year, 80 people died of heroin overdoses in Allegheny County - including one Penn Hills resident. And in 2001, Penn Hills police charged five people with heroin possession. [continues 695 words]
