COMBINING FORCES

Last year, Indiana State Police dismantled 1,500 methamphetamine labs
statewide.

So far this year, ISP troopers have dismantled 760 methamphetamine labs,
including eight in Madison County, seven in Hamilton County and two in
Hancock County.

Now, the ISP Pendleton post and Ag One Co-op have teamed up for an
initiative that would break down potential labs at the root, before they
get a chance to grow.

"In the Birch Method (for making meth) the key ingredient is anhydrous
ammonia," said ISP Trooper Tony Klettheimer during a Tuesday morning news
conference at the post. "If we can stop the release and theft of anhydrous
we can fight it.

"We need anhydrous for food, corn. It's a wonderful product," he said.
"Anhydrous is not the problem, it's the people stealing anhydrous who are
the problem."

Ag One, which distributes ammonia to farmers in east central Indiana, is
helping police by purchasing signs and decals that will be placed on
anhydrous ammonia tanks and around them.

The bright yellow reflective stickers and signs state: Indiana State Police
Methamphetamine Team. This equipment and products are under surveillance.
To report a theft or tampering with equipment call 1-800-527-4752.

Klettheimer said residents usually know who the farmers in their community
are. If they were to see someone trying to steal ammonia from a tank or a
stranger hanging around the tanks after hours, they should call the number
on the sticker, which goes to the state police in Pendleton.

"If we feel there is an area people are stealing anhydrous from we can
monitor the tanks," Klettheimer said. "The sticker may scare them. If we
can keep nine out of 10 people from doing it we're successful."

ISP has a lot of surveillance equipment that it will be using to keep track
of the tanks and either prevent thefts or catch thieves in the act.

"We will have surveillance equipment in the fields," Klettheimer said.
"They won't know where we're at, but we'll know where they're at."

The department also works hand-in-hand with the Anderson Police Department
and Madison County Sheriff's Department and their drug task force to locate
and eliminate meth labs. Klettheimer hopes that other Indiana State Police
posts join in the program.

Ag One Co-op, which formed in 1991, has 11 facilities with ammonia in
Madison, Hancock, Henry, Rush, Delaware and Hamilton counties.

"We think this is a benefit to our communities," said Jim Sweigart, risk
manager for the Ag One Anderson headquarters, of the decal program. "We are
concerned with first responders -- police, firefighters -- and about the
hazards to the community. We believe marking the tanks will help make
people aware and police will be able to apprehend people."

About three years ago two tanks were stolen from Hancock County, said Steve
Middendorf, agronomy manager for Ag One. A few more were taken and
recovered in Franklin County.

"More often they steal ammonia from the tank," Sweigart said. "They bring
some kind of hose, hook it onto a valve and release it into a container.
The containers are not designed for anhydrous ammonia. That's a danger in
itself because it can rupture and release the ammonia, hurting not only the
people who stole it but the people in the vicinity."

In all Ag One's facilities combined, the company has identified about 100
tampering incidents, Sweigart said. Usually, a small amount of two to five
gallons is taken.

"We have taken measures to make us aware (of the thefts)," he said. "We
take inventories, make inspections."