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Fighting meth
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| H&N photo by
Andrew Mariman Richard Seaward, an evidence technician for the Klamath County Sheriff’s office, holds up a bag of methamphetamine confiscated from a 2004 drug bust. The bag weighs more than 11 grams and has a street value of $400 to $500. |
Stories by Ryan Pfeil and Megan Doyle/ H&N staff writers
Everyone knows the use of methamphetamine contributes to increases in crime, health issues and the number of children in foster care.
But no one knows exactly how to eradicate the highly addictive drug from area communities.
In Klamath County, a new state law, prevention and education programs, and an active interagency narcotics task force appear to be making a dent, at least statistically. Yet authorities warn statistics can be misleading.
In the last four years:
• The number of home-based meth labs dropped 90 percent statewide.
• Meth use among eighth-graders has been steadily decreasing.
• The number of drug-related cases filed with the Klamath County District Attorney’s office dropped nearly 40 percent between 2004 and 2007.
Drug-related cases filed with the Klamath County District Attorney’s Office peaked at a high of 975 in 2004 and dropped to 596 in 2007. So far this year, only 193 drug-related cases were filed.
“It does appear that we have, on the whole, since 2004 seen a downward trend,” said Dave Groff, Klamath County chief deputy district attorney.
But he cautioned that statistics are just a snapshot taken downstream from several variables. Those variables include actual use, detection of that use and the enforcement rate, including how many cases are actually referred for prosecution.
Experts say they don’t know for sure if the positive numbers indicate a statewide drop in use or are an indication of decreasing community resources, including the number of law enforcement deputies and detectives on the street.
Budget cuts
In Klamath County, financial constraints are undermining some of those resources.
Budget cuts at the county and city levels in June forced the suspension of the Klamath Interagency Narcotics Team because none of the agencies have enough money available to dedicate an officer to the team.
The team, which included law enforcement officers from the city, state and county, has been losing funding and resources for more than a year.
Patrol troopers, police officers and deputies will continue to look out for drugs, and specially trained drug detection dogs could be more useful than ever, said Klamath County District Attorney Ed Caleb. But he is worried that if budget issues continue, it could lead to more positions being cut and changes in services provided to residents.
“That’s simply a poor way to run the justice system,” he said.
“The last thing we want is to back off,” Groff added.
Meth lab decline tied to cold medicine law
By RYAN PFEIL
H&N Staff Writer
Several years ago, Klamath Falls Detective Jim Williams walked into a meth lab on Emerald Street.
The smell of chemicals permeated the area while children played nearby.
Some homes of meth users are immaculate, he said, while others are in squalor. Regardless, even smoking meth, let alone manufacturing it, creates residue in carpets and elsewhere in the homes.
In the past few years, local detectives have been walking into fewer homes turned into meth labs.
The number of methamphetamine labs statewide decreased nearly 90 percent since 2004, according to the Oregon Narcotics Enforcement Association. Officials credit the Board of Pharmacy’s 2004 decision to require a prescription for drugs containing pseudoephedrine as one of the main reasons for the drop.
“We don’t really have meth labs too much anymore,” said Lt. Stephen Nork of the Oregon State Police. “But it’s still rampant. It’s still here.”
Statistics indicate the number of methamphetamine labs in Oregon have been dropping since laws restricting how cold medicines were sold went into effect in 2004 and 2005. The over-the-counter medicines contained pseudoephedrine, which can be used to manufacture meth.
Oregon laws now require cold medicines to be sold behind pharmacy counters. To purchase the drugs, you need photo identification and a prescription for pseudoephedrine. Pharmacies also keep a log of each sale.
The state’s laws are the strictest in the nation. They went into effect Nov. 15, 2004, April 6, 2005 and April 5, 2006.
Labs to imports
A large portion of the meth in Klamath County comes from other cities, and it likely will keep coming. Lt. Nork said the recent suspension of Klamath County’s Methamphetamine Task Force following budget cuts will make imports more common.
“They get more brave with it,” he said. “We’re probably going to see a little bit more of it in vehicle stops.”
Authorities suspect some of the meth is manufactured in Mexico and transferred to the Klamath Basin by drug cartels, said Klamath County District Attorney Ed Caleb.
Nork estimated officers find meth during traffic stops about once a week.
A trained drug canine on the force also assists officers in finding the drugs, he said.
For more on this story, including more Klamath County statistics, see the print edition of Sunday's Herald and News.
Everyone knows the use of methamphetamine contributes to increases in crime, health issues and the number of children in foster care.
But no one knows exactly how to eradicate the highly addictive drug from area communities.
In Klamath County, a new state law, prevention and education programs, and an active interagency narcotics task force appear to be making a dent, at least statistically. Yet authorities warn statistics can be misleading.
In the last four years:
• The number of home-based meth labs dropped 90 percent statewide.
• Meth use among eighth-graders has been steadily decreasing.
• The number of drug-related cases filed with the Klamath County District Attorney’s office dropped nearly 40 percent between 2004 and 2007.
Drug-related cases filed with the Klamath County District Attorney’s Office peaked at a high of 975 in 2004 and dropped to 596 in 2007. So far this year, only 193 drug-related cases were filed.
“It does appear that we have, on the whole, since 2004 seen a downward trend,” said Dave Groff, Klamath County chief deputy district attorney.
But he cautioned that statistics are just a snapshot taken downstream from several variables. Those variables include actual use, detection of that use and the enforcement rate, including how many cases are actually referred for prosecution.
Experts say they don’t know for sure if the positive numbers indicate a statewide drop in use or are an indication of decreasing community resources, including the number of law enforcement deputies and detectives on the street.
Budget cuts
In Klamath County, financial constraints are undermining some of those resources.
Budget cuts at the county and city levels in June forced the suspension of the Klamath Interagency Narcotics Team because none of the agencies have enough money available to dedicate an officer to the team.
The team, which included law enforcement officers from the city, state and county, has been losing funding and resources for more than a year.
Patrol troopers, police officers and deputies will continue to look out for drugs, and specially trained drug detection dogs could be more useful than ever, said Klamath County District Attorney Ed Caleb. But he is worried that if budget issues continue, it could lead to more positions being cut and changes in services provided to residents.
“That’s simply a poor way to run the justice system,” he said.
“The last thing we want is to back off,” Groff added.
Meth lab decline tied to cold medicine law
By RYAN PFEIL
H&N Staff Writer
Several years ago, Klamath Falls Detective Jim Williams walked into a meth lab on Emerald Street.
The smell of chemicals permeated the area while children played nearby.
Some homes of meth users are immaculate, he said, while others are in squalor. Regardless, even smoking meth, let alone manufacturing it, creates residue in carpets and elsewhere in the homes.
In the past few years, local detectives have been walking into fewer homes turned into meth labs.
The number of methamphetamine labs statewide decreased nearly 90 percent since 2004, according to the Oregon Narcotics Enforcement Association. Officials credit the Board of Pharmacy’s 2004 decision to require a prescription for drugs containing pseudoephedrine as one of the main reasons for the drop.
“We don’t really have meth labs too much anymore,” said Lt. Stephen Nork of the Oregon State Police. “But it’s still rampant. It’s still here.”
Statistics indicate the number of methamphetamine labs in Oregon have been dropping since laws restricting how cold medicines were sold went into effect in 2004 and 2005. The over-the-counter medicines contained pseudoephedrine, which can be used to manufacture meth.
Oregon laws now require cold medicines to be sold behind pharmacy counters. To purchase the drugs, you need photo identification and a prescription for pseudoephedrine. Pharmacies also keep a log of each sale.
The state’s laws are the strictest in the nation. They went into effect Nov. 15, 2004, April 6, 2005 and April 5, 2006.
Labs to imports
A large portion of the meth in Klamath County comes from other cities, and it likely will keep coming. Lt. Nork said the recent suspension of Klamath County’s Methamphetamine Task Force following budget cuts will make imports more common.
“They get more brave with it,” he said. “We’re probably going to see a little bit more of it in vehicle stops.”
Authorities suspect some of the meth is manufactured in Mexico and transferred to the Klamath Basin by drug cartels, said Klamath County District Attorney Ed Caleb.
Nork estimated officers find meth during traffic stops about once a week.
A trained drug canine on the force also assists officers in finding the drugs, he said.
For more on this story, including more Klamath County statistics, see the print edition of Sunday's Herald and News.
Reader Comments
The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of HeraldAndNews.com. Comment Disclaimer: The editors of heraldandnews.com reserve the right to refuse publication of any comment posted for consideration. We may refuse for any reason, including use of profanity, disparaging comments, libelous comments, etc. Any reader who notices a comment they believe is particularly offensive, should notify us at webmaster@heraldandnews.com.
Narc Officer wrote on Sep 7, 2008 3:38 PM:
" Concerned, what facutual basis do you have to support your notion that drugs are not coming from Mexico? In my proffesional opinion, I would have to believe the answer is none. All you would have to do is look at the DEA website to learn about where drugs are coming from. Moreover, the fact of the matter is, the loss of the Edward Bryne grant is a chief reason task force officers across the nation have been cut, Klamath County is no different. What also remains to be a problem is stable funding for law enforcment. Until pople like you get your facts straight and support local and state law enforcment, the drug war will continue to eat up the budget of both local and federal agencies. As for your oh so synical view of law enforcement, I would bet you have never once taken a ride along with an officer and see the work that must be done day in day out. Your stereotypical view of law enforcment officers is a skewed as your knowlege of drug enforcement. "
Concerend wrote on Sep 7, 2008 12:15 PM:
" Well my opionon is if the police would stop buying new cop cars and bikes they would have the money to keep the drug team going. I dont believe the drugs are coming from Mexico, I think it is right here in Klamath county. The meth project is sopossed to bring down those who sell, make and do meth but I see people all around me who do it. I have never touched the stuff but I know people who have and so I can tell who dose it and who dosent. I see the cops busting more people who smoke weed then people who do meth. And meth is more deadly then weed. It is all around us and the law needs to look for it more and investigate the calls or reports they get on meth and stop sitting around eating donuts and drinking coffee all day. "
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A Patriot wrote on Sep 7, 2008 11:02 PM:
It is very evident that one of the prior postings does not have a clue about the "drug problem" in Klamath County or how law enforcement is handling this war on illegal drugs.
Simply put, there are different levels of the drug distribution... from the illegal ailien crossing the border, to the white collar worker snorking the white stuff out of his assistants hight heel shoes!
Please...ignorance is a disease! And America has a lot of IGNORANCE from drug users, to gang bangers, to the low lifes that mis-use govt funds such as welfare and other programs. Example; in Chiloquin, local businesses have to bar windows, because vandals get their bloddy kicks out of smashing windows, for what...? I blame the PARENTS for not controlling their children, for not educating their children... for not setting the example... some parents set great examples, by drinking, doing drugs, violence in the home... Why do kids act the way they do?
A sign that hangs on a side street..."Don't METH with US! If drugs are a problem.... STOP BUYING THE DAMN DRUGS! Go after the dealers, users, and implement harsher prison time, tougher fines...Push for tougher laws... None of this "slapping" little Johnney or Susie on the hand, then letting them back on the street!
Although, the prison system is no better... most come out of prison worse than when they went in... Something has to be done...
Unless one has been a govt agent or visited Mexico, Central American or S. American... you would be surprised how open the drug trade is... and how many millions of $ Americans spend each year on illegal drugs.... The MS 13 gang has a pipeline route through Calif. and into Canada, Spreading as far east into Florida. Our Border Agents are undermanned and out gunned... Even with all the new agents that were hired after 9/11.
In simple terms, the DRUG TRADE is out of control, our govt knows this, and so do the drug cartels... A special unit of ICE, not only picks up illegals, but goes after the dealers... but when you arrest 10, 30 more show up....
If all states, I mean all 50 states would instill laws on the state level to arrest, detain, imprison or deport every illegal, instead of this "catch and release" crap... crime would go down, drug deals would drop...but, it is not a perfect world is it?
It is time to WAKE UP AMERICANS! Educate your children to do the right thing in life... be the heroes to your children, have them look up to you, be the GOOD influenece in their lives... and make it a better world....
A decorated USAF VETERAN "