OFFICIALS REACT TO HEROIN SERIES

Heroin: County Politicians Remaining Mum On Issue.

A recent series of articles in The Times on the heroin problem in
Porter County sparked reaction from many readers, including elected
officials pledging to request more money for the law enforcement effort.

Porter County Drug Task Force Coordinator Robert Taylor said after
one story showed the annual budget for his unit at just $44,000 --
compared to the Porter County Animal Shelter's at $271,561 -- he
received a welcomed visit from the Porter County Prosecutor's Office.
Taylor said Prosecutor Jim Douglas and Chief Deputy Prosecutor Brian
Gensel came to him with a pledge to approach the Porter County
Council to request more funding for the drug task force.

Both Douglas and Gensel were out of the office and unavailable for
comment last week.

"Money isn't the sole answer, but if it can help get more men on the
streets, it's going to be at least part of the solution," Taylor said.

Rep. Ralph Ayres, R-Chesterton, called Taylor's budget "pathetic."

"The county should put more resources into this because it really is
that bad," Ayres said. "We need more law enforcement in that area and
they need the resources ... I'd be willing to work with the county
council and commissioners to try to access any money available."

Sen. Karen Tallian, D-Ogden Dunes, agreed.

"I think that in terms of county services, there are certainly bigger
priorities for funding out there and this ought to be one of them," she said.

Repeated phone calls to Porter County Council President Dan Whitten
this week for comment on the issue were not returned. County
Commissioner Carole Knoblock said she recently returned from a trip
out of town and missed the series. Commissioners John Evans and
Robert Harper did not return requests for comment.

Ayres sponsored the legislation lifting a ban on methadone clinics
being located in adjacent counties, opening the door for the
possibility of a facility opening in Porter County.

Some former addicts told The Times they oppose bringing the clinics
to Porter County. Methadone -- which metabolizes in the body as
morphine -- can be abused like other opiates and bought on the streets.

Several said they became addicted to methadone first and that it was
a gateway drug to heroin.

"I don't really buy the argument that this is a gateway drug," said
Tallian, who supported the legislation. "If they are abusing it, they
are already into the drug scene."

Tallian said she didn't speak with any recovering addicts and was
basing her opinion on the fact she, "grew up in the 60s" and knew
people who were using heroin then.

"(Officials) don't want to talk to the addicts but they need to talk
to the addicts," Taylor said. "They're the ones who have been there
and who are hurting from it."

Ayres said community response will dictate the future of a methadone
clinic in Porter County.

"If it doesn't have community support, it doesn't go in," Ayres said.
"Part of it is getting public awareness out there, which The Times
did and I'm grateful for that."

Ayres said he has always maintained that a clinic would be part of a
three-pronged approach: Prevention and education, apprehension of
dealers and treatment of those who are addicted.

Taylor agreed a unified approach to addressing the problem is key.

"If we decide we don't want heroin here, we can do it," Taylor said.
"It's been done elsewhere and we can do it here but it's going to
take the whole community."