REYNOLDS TAKES AIM AT METH

REYNOLDS -- Halfway through this year, Indiana State Police have
investigated or dismantled roughly the same number of methamphetamine
labs in White County as they did in all of 2005.

But the dramatic rise isn't being attributed to an influx of users or
because of easier access to the highly addictive drug's ingredients.

"We're really more aggressive than we have been in the past -- we're
not waiting until we pull someone over or we get a call that a meth
lab exploded," said Trooper Jerry Holeman, the Lafayette district's
full-time meth suppression specialist. "And with our meth hot line,
people are calling in when they smell strange odors in the middle of
the night."

He hopes to keep the community's involvement going and take it a step
further by educating local residents on the dangers of the man-made
stimulant. Holeman, a lifelong Reynolds resident, has selected his
hometown as the local pilot site for the initiative.

His effort is something the Meth Free Indiana Coalition plans to do
statewide -- but further down the road -- as part of its Meth Watch
Indiana program, by developing and distributing comprehensive community kits.

"I think it's great. Small communities need help like this," Charlie
Van Voorst, president of the Reynolds town board, said of Holeman's
plan. "This is to protect our children and to protect our Reynolds
community. Meth threatens a lot of small towns."

Ahead of the problem

State police have not investigated any homegrown meth labs in
Reynolds this year, but have dismantled eight to nine labs in White
County, Holeman said.

Still, Van Voorst said the community of roughly 550 citizens would
benefit from the knowledge.

"I don't believe we have a problem, and I've lived here my whole
life," he said. "But you never know."

Holeman plans to hold two meetings in mid-August for Reynolds
residents interested in helping combat the drug. The two-hour-long
sessions will focus on identifying the signs of drug dealers and meth abusers.

He hopes the increased education will lead to more tips and less
reluctance from residents who suspect their neighbors of dealing to
contact police. The goal is get at least 50 percent of the town to
attend and to further educate citizens in as many cities and towns as possible.

"There still are people who we run into who have no idea what meth
is," Holeman said. "The hope is once people become more involved in
their community, they'll help us keep it clean, safe and crime-free."

In January, state police created a meth suppression section, made up
of troopers -- working both full-time and part-time -- to investigate
labs and complaints in the various districts.

Holeman, the sole full-time meth specialist for the Lafayette
district, said he's been working with area Drug Task Force units to
investigate complaints and to check pharmacy and store logs of people
who have purchase nonprescription cold remedies containing ephedrine
and pseudoephedrine, such as NyQuil and Sudafed, which are key
ingredients in meth making.

In July 2005, new legislation moved the medication behind the
counter. Customers are limited to buying no more than 3 grams of the
active ingredients in a week, and they must show identification and sign a log.

The meth suppression section also maintains close contacts with
surrounding police agencies, including the Illinois State Police.
Holeman said some people have tried to cheat the new law by
purchasing cold pills there.

"They think they're getting one over on us," he said. "But if
Illinois State Police call us, we'll follow up on their suspicions
and do some surveillance."

A four-step program

Steven King, the drug and crime control division director of the
Indiana Criminal Justice Institute, which oversees the Meth Free
Indiana Coalition, said officials plan to manage the Meth Watch
Indiana program in four steps.

The Meth Free Indiana Coalition was formed in early 2005 to help slow
meth's destruction in the Hoosier state. Other participating agencies
include Gov. Mitch Daniels' office and the Indiana State Police.

Launched in October, Meth Watch Indiana took that a step further by
educating retailers and store employees on the other ingredients,
such as rock salt and antifreeze, used in homegrown labs.

What's next

The next phase, planned for later this year, will focus on
agribusiness and a "tamper tag" program for tanks of anhydrous
ammonia, a common ingredient used to make meth, King said. The tags
will not prevent people from breaking into the tanks, but they will
alert farmers as to whether someone has gained access to the valve.

"The farmer will know this and can report it to police," King said.

The coalition also will place "Meth Watch Indiana" decals on the
roughly 15,000 anhydrous ammonia tanks across the state, he said.

After that step, the coalition plans to install "Meth Watch
Community" signs in participating cities and towns.

The community kits are the last step, though the concept is "on the
drawing board," King said.

"The kits will be looking at all aspects of working together for meth
prevention and awareness. ... Looking at how everyone can bond
together in a community."