METH BOOM SWAMPS ENFORCEMENT

The Legislature needs to change drug laws to make it easier for prosecutors
to fight the growing proliferation of methamphetamine in Kansas, according
to a report from the Legislative Division of Post Audit.

The difficulty lies in the number of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation's
backlogged cases. The report, dated July 19, seems to blame, in part, the
inability of KBI to analyze evidence from seizures and return information
to prosecutors in a timely fashion. When this happens, cases are
jeopardized and meth manufacturers and users are let off the hook.

The real problem is that the number of meth lab seizures discovered each
year outgrows the number of KBI staff available to analyze them, according
to the report. In 1994, four meth lab seizures in Kansas were reported by
law enforcement officials to KBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Six years later, that number leaped to 702. The post auditors expect that
number to grow to 2,000 throughout Kansas this year.

KBI Director Larry Welch said Thursday that the KBI constantly lobbies for
federal grants and recently secured a $1.9 million grant.

"We'll spend half of that on training and equipment for law enforcement
officers and the other half bringing scientists and investigators on hand
to help," he said.

But that isn't enough to fight the meth problem. What the KBI needs is more
analysts and a better equipped investigation lab. Welch said that if he was
able to ask the Legislature for "anything other than just the bare
minimum," it would be for the money to hire five additional analysts. This
could cost more than $200,000.

The KBI meth investigation team is made up of 14 analysts, and with part of
the $1.9 million grant, Welch will hire five additional analysts. The
average backlog time it takes the KBI to begin investigating a seizure is
about four and a half months, according to the report.

One of the recommendations from the post audit was that the KBI should
develop a plan for expanding its lab capabilities and present it to the
Legislature for consideration. The audit, Welch said, reports the same
problems he has presented to the Legislature for several years. In a press
conference Wednesday, Welch asked again for the Legislature's support.

"We obviously have a serious problem," Sen. Lynn Jenkins, R-Topeka, said.
"The legislators have a renewed interest in the problem we have with meth
in Kansas.

"With our budget being so tight, it will be about raising taxes to cover
crime, and my hunch is that the Legislature still won't be willing to raise
taxes."

If taxpayers aren't aware of the problem, naturally, they won't be very
supportive, Jenkins said.

Kansas last year ranked second only to California in the number of meth lab
seizures. Drug manufacturers and users cost taxpayers $16.5 million in
salaries for law enforcement officers and prosecutors to handle the
problem. Kansans also paid $1.7 million in incarcerations, $1.7 million
cleaning up the lab sites and $1.1 million treating meth addicts, according
to the report.

Law enforcement officials reported 59 meth lab seizures in Shawnee County
last year. Already this year, law enforcement agencies have reported more
than 50 seizures in the county.

The number of meth labs is increasing because they are becoming more
portable and difficult to find, according to the post-audit report. Labs
have been discovered everywhere from the trunks of cars to suitcases.

"This is what we call the bathtub drug. You can make it anywhere with
chemicals you probably already have in your home," Shawnee County sheriff's
Sgt. Lance Royer said Tuesday.

"Our largest problem has been meth for three years," Welch said. "It is our
top priority to address it as quickly as we can."

(SIDEBAR)

Audio interview

Laurel Murdie, senior auditor of the Legislative Post Audit Committee

Progress being made with meth

Kansas ranks No. 2

702 labs reported in Kansas

Law enforcement making progress

Increasing meth penalties

Larry Welch, director of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation

Getting most labs reported

Hearing from local law enforcement

Two motel rooms with meth

Toddlers had severe burns from carpet