WASHBURN POLICE CHIEF MAKES AT-HOME DRUG TEST AVAILABLE

Seized Drug Money Used To Finance Community Service

WASHBURN - Police here are using cash seized in a drug case to purchase
drug screening kits for parents.

The Washburn Police Department is using a small part of $16,000 seized
earlier this year to pay for at-home marijuana and cocaine drug testing kits.

"The idea just popped out of my Italian head one day that this would be the
ideal opportunity to spend drug confiscated money in a positive manner,"
Washburn Police Chief Ron Rizzo said.

Rizzo purchased 50 test kits for $200. The kits screen urine for chemicals
found in the drugs in minutes. The kits are being offered free and
anonymously to any Washburn-area parent who suspects their child may be
using drugs.

"It will certainly send a message out to young people that we're going to
do this, and if they're going to experiment with drugs, they may be caught
not only by the police, but also by their own parents," Rizzo said.

None of the drug testing kits have yet been distributed. If necessary, the
police department will buy more, he said.

"Drug use with teens is at an all time high," said Washburn officer Eric
Vaughn. "Hopefully, we can help these kids before it gets out of hand."

Money to purchase the kits was seized during a routine traffic stop in
February, Rizzo said.

Washburn police officer Justin Faulk stopped James Morrison, 40, of Hurst,
for speeding. After Morrison surrendered a small amount of marijuana,
police searched his car and found $16,000, Rizzo said.

A police dog confirmed the money was drug-tainted. Morrison didn't admit
the money was his, but was charged with misdemeanor possession of 10 to 30
grams of marijuana and is awaiting trial, police said.

The money was confiscated and eventually distributed. The village received
65 percent of the money while the rest was divided among various state
agencies, as required by law, Rizzo said.

"Our share of this seizure was $12,000, and we can spend the money on
anything to do with battling the war on drugs," Rizzo said. "We're losing it."

Some of the remaining seized drug money will be used to purchase police
equipment, to send officers to drug education training, or for anything in
general to combat drug problems, he said.

Although marijuana use is not any worse in Washburn than any other area,
Rizzo said it is likely the most-abused drug among teen-agers.

"The kits aren't being used for (police) to pursue someone and arrest them.
They're for parents who think their child may be involved in drugs and to
find whether it's true or not," he said.

Marijuana can be detected for up to 30 days after the last use. Cocaine can
only be detected for three days after use, Vaughn said.

The kits are available to resident in Woodford and Marshall Counties. To
obtain a kit, call the Washburn Police Department at 248-7351.