FOUR NEW OFFICERS WILL FIGHT DRUG CRIME

Salem will pay $363,810 to beef up the fight against the meth epidemic.

The Salem City Council voted Monday to add four police officers
dedicated to drug crime to the coming 2004-2005 budget.

The council raided the city's $2 million contingency fund to pay for
the officers, who will cost $363,810.

Mayor Janet Taylor made the motion, arguing that the methamphetamine
epidemic in Salem demands more police action.

"This needs to get stopped now," she said.

The additional officers were a last-minute tweak to the $87 million
general-fund budget proposed for 2004-05. The council will vote on the
budget at Monday's meeting.

"I promise you if we get those four officers, you will see an amazing
difference in this city," Salem Police Chief Walt Myers said, noting
that five half-time officers dedicated to drug crime last year
generated 339 arrests.

The new officers will be hired by September, Myers said.

They will focus completely on drug crimes, drug houses and property
crime related to drug abuse.

"That's fantastic," Salem Police Lt. Dan Cary said when told about the
council's decision. "Meth drives 80 to 90 percent of all property
crimes, and we need a force that can attack it."

In approving the new officers, the council went against the
recommendation of Interim City Manager Bob Wells.

Wells said that the council should either not hire the officers or pay
for them by cutting deferred maintenance at city facilities.

The city faces a potential shortfall in the next budget year of $6.5
million, Wells said.

"If we add the additional police officers, that adds another $400,000
to next year's problem," Wells said.

The move also was criticized by a member of the city's Budget
Committee, who complained that the public had no chance to weigh in on
hiring the officers.

"We've told the public we have limited funds," committee member Thomas
Smith said. "To all of a sudden come up with funds for four more
police officers, what are we telling them?"

But in the end, concern about drug abuse and property crime led to a
unanimous vote from the council.

"There is a clear and present danger," Councilor Jim Randall said. "I
can't think of a more important thing to do."

Councilors defended drawing the money from a fund meant for
emergencies.

"This is an emergency situation," Councilor Brent DeHart said.

The budget adjustment came a month after Salem voters rejected the
"Kids and Cops" ballot measure, which would have used a support fee to
put 24 more police officers on the street.

Statesman Journal reporter Jody Lawrence-Turner contributed to this
story.