MOCK DRUG LAB TO HELP TRAIN POLICE

Police in training will soon have their own methamphetamine lab to help in
their battle against illegal drugs.

The Ontario Police College near Aylmer is helping battle methamphetamine,
or crystal meth, and the provincial government is helping out with a
$230,000 grant to build and equip a mock illegal drug lab.

The lab will be a one-floor modular home, said Steve Hibbard, deputy
director at the college. On the outside it will resemble a residential
house and on the inside it will contain all the chemicals and tools used in
a real meth lab.

Having a permanent training site will allow the college to put more people
through the drug training that will help officers protect themselves from
the harmful chemicals commonly found in meth labs.

"Communities across the province will be safer because of this new
facility, as police officers will get the most up-to-date training on how
to deal with the dangers of crystal meth and marijuana production," said
Rudy Gheysen, director of the police college.

Unlike grow-ops, which can be connected to high hydro use, there are few
signs to identify houses as meth labs.

"Most of the information would come from informants," Hibbard said.

Chemicals used to make crystal meth can be extracted from everyday items
such as cold medications and match heads. When customers buy large
quantities of products, police are usually tipped off, Hibbard said.

Front-line officers are also being taught how to recognize the signs that
point to drug users. Hibbard said users are often paranoid and have nervous
tendencies.

In addition to the lab, Ontario has put a working group together to
determine the scope of meth use in the province.

"Ontario is getting out in front of what could be a real problem in drug
use," said Tony Brown, communications officer with the police college.

The group will work with communities, health care providers, educators and
police services to find ways to combat the growing use and production of
crystal meth.