METH EDUCATION GOAL OF MEETINGS

Local police departments and the Faulkner County Sheriff's Office are
teaming together to inform the public about one of the most dangerous drugs
on the street today, methamphetamine, in hopes citizens will then team with
them to lower the drug's popularity.

"We hope to heighten the public's awareness of the growing methamphetamine
abuse problem," said Jack Pike, public information officer for the Faulkner
County Sheriff's Office. "Then with the knowledge they gain ... we hope
they partner with law enforcement to help us fight the epidemic of meth."

To help law-abiding citizens learn about this illegal drug, four town
meetings are scheduled in Faulkner County towns. The first will be 7 to 9
p.m. on Monday at the University of Central Arkansas' Lewis Science Center.

The next meeting will be from 7 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday at Greenbrier City
Hall. Vilonia will hold a town meeting from 7 to 9 p.m. on July 23 and
Vilonia High School and the final meeting will be from 7 to 9 p.m. on July
26 at Mayflower High School.

"For the first time in the history of Faulkner County the cities and county
law enforcement are uniting to fight against meth dealers," Pike said.

Officers cannot be all places at all times but citizens can act as the eyes
and hears for police, he said, "but we hope the days are gone when drug
dealers can fear only law enforcement."

At the town meetings, Lt. Bob Berry of the Conway Regional Drug Task Force
will bring a kit that "shows people what a meth lab looks like because a
lot of people think it's some big, sophisticated operation," he said.
"People don't realize they are 16-ounce Mountain Dew bottles and coffee
filters."

Meth has been growing in popularity over the years in part, according to
experts, because most of the ingredients used to make meth can be found in
regular grocery and hardware stores. Also, the ingredients are fairly
cheap, the finished product sells for quite a profit and the high gained
from a small amount of meth can last for hours or even days. Meth labs,
because of the ingredients, are also quite dangerous and capable of exploding.

Berry will educate people at the town meeting of these facts and show them
the smells and other telltale signs of a lab, he said.

Joey Potratz of the Arkansas Sheriff's Association will discuss the facts
about children and meth, the effects of meth and signs of abuse, what the
public can do to fight the war on drugs and where help can be found.

Sheriff Marty Montgomery will also talk about what people can do to help
law enforcement.

Also scheduled to attend the meetings is state Sen. Gilbert Baker,
R-Conway, who said the meth problem was brought to light to him during the
last legislative session.

"We were really made aware of all the challenges facing law enforcement
when it comes to meth," Baker said. Because of this, he got with local
officers to learn more and find out what he could do to help them. The
answer seemed to be to help educate the public.

"I see the main emphasis we need to have is to make the people aware we
have this huge problem," Baker said.

That is the whole purpose of the four town meetings, Pike said. Anyone
wanting more information on the meetings can contact Pike at 450-4914.