PARTNERSHIP FOR DRUG-FREE LAKE COUNTY NEEDS INTERVENTION

The Issue: Antidrug Agency's Leadership

Our opinion: The political stain must be removed.

It is time for an intervention for the Partnership for a Drug-Free Lake
County. Its addiction to political back-scratching rather than doing the
work its name requires is dangerous to the physical and mental health of
the people the agency is supposed to be helping.

How did this happen? Thank that power monger former sheriff, John Buncich.
His bullying tactics finally got to be too much for many of the board
members with a working knowledge of dealing with addiction problems. They
left and Buncich replaced them with his cronies, including John Blount, the
former sheriff's administrative assistant, and Loy Roberson, the former
sheriff's spokesman.

What can be done? Well, there is a new sheriff in Lake County, one who is
more interested in running an efficient, professional department that
enforces the laws. He also is interested in doing his and his department's
part in educating the public of the evils of addiction. After all, these
law enforcement officials see every day the devastation visited upon
individuals, families and communities as a result of substance abuse.

The partnership originally was developed under the aegis of the Lake County
sheriff and the Lake County prosecutor, acting as honorary chairmen.

A new partnership is needed, and leadership for that should come from the
men who occupy those offices -- Sheriff Rogelio "Roy" Dominguez and
Prosecutor Bernard Carter.

Dominguez and Carter must be encouraged to take the initiative and form a
new partnership with people and organizations with the skills and
commitment to tackle problems of addiction, whether to alcohol, illegal
drugs or glue-sniffing.

Under state law, each county has such a partnership organization made up of
citizens to plan, monitor and evaluate comprehensive local alcohol and drug
abuse plans. The Governor's Commission for a Drug- Free Indiana would have
to approve such an organization. The commission must not hesitate to do so
because the current organization is so tainted by politics.

Substance abuse knows no boundaries, so the new organization must reach out
to Porter County law enforcement officials and substance abuse experts to
work more closely to fight this serious problem plaguing all of Northwest
Indiana.

In the meantime, the current partnership leadership should immediately ask
one of its board members, Lita Filippo, to step down. Last weekend, she was
charged with driving drunk after being arrested by a St. John officer.
According to the police report, she refused to take a breath test because
she didn't have to -- she was co-chairwoman of the Partnership for a
Drug-Free Lake County. She also told the officers during the booking
process that they were "low-life cops" and that the jewelry she was wearing
"is worth more than you cops make in a year."

Her credibility is suspect, to say the least.