TASK FORCE AT WAR AGAINST NEW DRUG THREATS

More than 600 people of all ages sat quietly for several hours
Thursday to try to learn a few things about drugs and teenagers.

"I'm ecstatic," said Mike Reese, an Alabama Beverage Control, or ABC,
agent and one of the meeting's organizers, as he surveyed the crowd.

It was exactly the kind of turnout Reese and his co-organizer Lt.
Richard Smith, head of the Calhoun County Drug Task Force, had been
hoping for.

The two called the meeting about a month ago when a medley of
problems involving drugs and young people surfaced in this area.

The Calhoun County Drug Task Force already had been investigating the
growing popularity of the rave scene and the drugs it inspires, when
they first started hearing of teen OxyContin abuse.

Smith and Reese decided to focus their collective attention like a
laser on dealers that target young people.

On March 1, they initiated what Reese calls a "three-pronged attack"
of increased enforcement, rehabilitation and education.

Thursday's meeting, dubbed "Operation Save Teens" was a key maneuver
in the attack.

"We wanted to get the word out before anybody died," said Reese, "We
knew most of the parents had never heard of raves. It's the new wave,
and it's going to be more and more prevalent in the next few months."

On the enforcement flank, officers at the drug task force stepped up
investigations of big-time dealers of OxyContin, an extremely
addictive prescription pain killer, and the so-called "club drugs"
like Ecstasy, GHB and Ketamine.

Then, on March 7, a Wellborn High School student overdosed on
OxyContin. She survived, unlike some young people in some recent
Gadsden cases.

"When that 13-year-old girl overdosed, that put us into overdrive," said Reese.

A little more than a week later, they had arrested three people on
charges of distributing or trafficking OxyContin.

They also engaged about a week ago in an underage-drinking sting at
area stores, bars and restaurants, fining seven of the 10
establishments they investigated.

"We want these people to know that we're going to be checking them
harder than we ever did before," Reese said.

As they investigated these and other cases, members of the task force
and Reese, who works out of the task force office, were furiously
planning and plugging Thursday's meeting, distributing flyers and
calling up the news media.

The Calhoun County Drug Task Force is a combination of Anniston
Police Officers and federally funded special investigators who work
through the district attorney's office.

The nine members, which including its leader, Anniston police Lt.
Smith, work with police in Anniston, Piedmont, Jacksonville, Weaver
and Ohatchee, as well as the sheriff's offices in Calhoun and
Cleburne counties. In addition to the federal funding the task force
gets, each county and city government provides money for equipment.

The Calhoun County Drug Task Force has a reputation for
accomplishment, as the audience at Thursday's meeting learned from
ABC Sgt. Andy Hardy, who works out of Montgomery,

"I firmly believe that they are the best in Alabama," said Anniston
City Manager Rick Whitehead. "They are known as being one of the
best."

Calhoun County Sheriff Larry Amerson agreed.

"The quality of the work they do is well known, and statistically the
data is there to support that," he said.

As of October, the drug task force had made more than 2,500 arrests
in six years.

"They're young, they're energetic and they love their jobs," said
Reese, "They get out of there and get the job done."

Both Whitehead and Amerson said the task force's success springs from
a combination of excellent training, enthusiasm and leadership.

"You've got to have strong leaders," said Reese. His colleague Smith
is just that, he said.

Amerson agreed that Smith's experience is the key to the task force's
consistency and continuity.

Also playing a key role in the latest local assault on drugs is
Reese. Though not a member of the task force but of the state-funded
ABC Board, Reese teams up with the task force and shares their office.

"He's energetic and enthusiastic and, as you can see, he's very
involved in what he's doing," said Amerson. "It's not just a job for
him."

Indeed, all members of the task force have been working around the
clock in the last two weeks. Reese said he has had two days off this
month.

The group is dedicated to children, Reese said. "I don't care who you
are, when there are kids involved the tensions are already high."

And their hard work is having an impact.

"I think we went a long way (Thursday) night," said Reese.

Indeed, many residents have said they had never seen a community
meeting draw such a crowd as Operation Save Teens did.

"I can not recall one (like it)," said Anniston Mayor Chip Howell,
who was unable to attend. "Certainly not one that was so well
attended. People are searching for answers on how they can react and
be better parents."

It was the goal of Smith, Reese and the rest of the task force to
educate parents on what they are up against.

"The reality is that without the support of the community, there's
very little (law enforcement) can do," Amerson said.

But Reese said they are not finished yet.

They still have to conquer the rehabilitation front, and there is
much more educating to be done, he said.

"Now we've got to have more meetings and come up with some
solutions," Reese said.

The task force already has received several invitations to come to
churches and schools and teach residents about the new drugs children
face today.

"And," Reese said, "we're going to go to every one."