CURRY SHERIFF SPEAKS FRANKLY ABOUT DRUGS

Sheriff Kent Owens says the biggest threat to homeland security isn't
foreign terrorists, it's the homegrown domestic kind: methamphetamine
dealers and users.

"It just irritates the hell out of me that they have flags on their windows
and doors," said a frustrated Owens on Thursday.

"They're introducing something into the community that is the most
unpatriotic thing you could do," Owens continued. "In my opinion, they're
un-American."

Owens says people need to recognize that when they buy illegal drugs,
they're not just supporting a dealer - they're supporting an entire drug
system.

"We need to recognize what they are, they're terrorists," said Owens.

"I'd like to see their punishment be the same as for blowing up airplanes
and buildings."

But Owens, who has twice fought for tax levies only to have them shot down
by voters, says he would settle for just having enough deputies to battle
meth effectively.

"Every agency should have patrols out there 24 hours a day," said Owens. "We
can't eradicate it, but we can do a lot better than we are now."

Acknowledging governments waste billions of dollars, Owens says that doesn't
justify leaving public safety underfunded.

"The community has got to take a position that these dope dealers are
terrorists," said Owens, "and fund law enforcement to stop this growing
violence."

The county sheriff and former Brookings police chief says he knows from
experience the effect of drugs on families and the community: two of his
four children became involved in drugs.

"I've experienced the strain on my marriage," said Owens, "the conflict
between my family and myself because I wouldn't condone their involvement."

Owens says he felt powerless, because even though he made every effort to
prevent drugs from affecting his family, they did anyway.

Owens resorted to a kind of tough love, refusing to speak to two of his
children for 10 years.

"Even though, as a parent, you still love them," said Owens, "when they get
involved in those kinds of activities you still cannot condone it."

Although he was there to support them as they made their way through the
jail and court systems, he refused to bail them out.

"I made it clear I didn't want to hear any B.S. about how they got
railroaded," Owens said. "They've told me since then they didn't appreciate
it at the time, but they do now."

The zero tolerance policy eventually worked, although it took 10 years, said
Owens.

"I think there came a point when they realized the only way they would have
contact with their parents was to get off the drugs," Owens said.

Now the grandfather of six, Owens is worried about the effect of drugs in
the community on them as well.

"Every time you buy drugs, you support that effort to destroy our community
from within," concluded Owens.