ANTI-MARIJUANA CAMPAIGN EARNS NATIONAL HONORS

Timing: Sheriff In Nation's Capital Thursday.

A trial program in Tulare County that targets marijuana growing
operations proved so successful it's being recognized Thursday in the
nation's capital.

The Sheriff's Department was nominated for, and has received, this
year's National Marijuana Initiative Award.

Sheriff Bill Wittman is in Washington, D.C. to receive the
recognition of achievements during a ceremony in the Eisenhower
Office Building.

The award is in recognition of the marijuana eradication and drug
trafficking investigations resulting from operation LOCCUST.

Operation LOCCUST was a law enforcement demonstration project that
blended the region's best capabilities into a unified attack upon
marijuana cultivators and the criminal enterprises bankrolling the
cultivation sites, according to information released by Sheriff's
Department spokeswoman Sgt. Chris Douglass.

The effort led to removal of thousands of marijuana plants prior to
harvest, in addition to a number of arrests.

Some of the largest raids occurred here in the South County.

Authorities in August found and destroyed a total of 12,886 marijuana
plants within four plots on Sugarloaf Mountain, deep in the heart of
the Sequoia National Forest.

The investigation quickly led to six arrests.

Plants from the approximate 30-acres in cultivation on Sugarloaf
Mountain had an estimated street value of $80 million at full
maturity, authorities reported at the time.

In September, two marijuana gardens with a combined 16,000 plants
were found and destroyed, taking an estimated $65.4 million worth of
marijuana -- at full maturity -- off the table.

One site was in the Speas Creek area, where 12,228 marijuana plants
were found and destroyed, authorities report: The other was in the
Flynn Canyon area, where 4,118 plants were found and destroyed.

Both sites were in the Johnsondale area of Kern Canyon. Johnsondale
is somewhat south of the midway point between Camp Nelson and
California High Springs, in Sequoia National Park.

The season's effort involved more than 240 federal, state and local
agency personnel, representing 14 local, state and federal agencies.

By day and by night, uniformed police patrolled the dusty Sierra
Mountain roads to identify possible suspects," Douglass said in a
prepared release. "Law enforcement took control of the usual and
accustomed marijuana growing regions to make LOCCUST a success."

Operation LOCCUST planning began in late 2007, in advance of the 2008
marijuana growing season. Its collaborative design called upon each
agency to provide personnel, materials and logistical capabilities to
the program.

Douglass offered an overview of the program:

Early intelligence gathering and locating grow sites were essential
to the planning phase. The large-scale operation required close
coordination of equipment and personnel resources and communications.

An Incident Command System provided a blueprint for operational
command and control. Management personnel from each agency staffed
the command post.

An intelligence fusion center constantly fed new data to commanders
and prepared tactical briefings for raid teams. Eradication and
reclamation teams staffed by volunteer crew removed irrigation lines,
contaminants and trash from the land, streams and rivers.

Removal of this material helps restore the land to its natural state
and deny drug trafficking organizations from reestablishing their operations.

LOCCUST is now a model for other agencies to use.

More than 87 gardens were raided and more than 527,000 plants were
destroyed. More than 50 suspects are in custody and more than 300
pounds of processed marijuana was seized.

The operation netted 40 weapons and more than 33 miles of irrigation
pipe was removed.

There were 1,800 pounds of fertilizer seized, 33 gallons of liquid
chemicals recovered along with 22 pounds of pesticides, with more
than 50 grow sites reclaimed.

LOCCUST investigations led to 16 search warrants and the dismantling
of drug-trafficking operations.

Douglass reports that several investigations developed during the
operation are ongoing and will continue into the next marijuana season.