DRUG DOG'S EXPLOITS SHOWN OFF AT BELPRE COUNCIL MEETING

Belpre Police Department's drug dog, Dutch, located drugs Monday night in
city council chambers.

The drugs were planted by officers to show city council members what Dutch
does on the job and how he is a useful purchase for the city. Dutch, a
three-year-old Dutch Shepherd, and his trainer, patrolman Scott Smeeks,
have worked together since May 2001. Dutch's duties include drug work,
officer protection and patrol work, which also includes tracking people,
evidence searches and building searches. Smeeks helped raise more than
$12,000 to purchase Dutch for the city.

Smeeks said Dutch's sense of smell is superior to any human or machine,
which makes him an asset to the police force. When Dutch smells drugs, he
sits down and this indicates to the officer a presence of drugs on the
individual or in the car.

Before a canine unit was added to the Belpre department, officers made 50
drug arrests during 2000. Since Dutch has been in service, there have been
120 drug arrests in 2002.

During 2002 Dutch and his trainer have confiscated 21 grams of cocaine,
three grams of methamphetamine, 537 grams of marijuana and 52 tablets of
ecstasy, police said. Dutch helped confiscate 35 illegal prescription
drugs, 123 items of drug paraphernalia and helped confiscate $11,000 of
possible drug money, Smeeks said.

The dog assisted police departments in Athens County, Washington County and
Meigs County. Dutch has been involved in demonstrations for area
organizations on his duties.

In 2002, Dutch walked around 208 vehicles. Of those, Dutch helped to locate
101 vehicles with drugs, drug paraphernalia or admitted use of drugs in the
vehicle, police said.

According to Smeeks, Dutch's accuracy rate is about 87 percent and this is
above the federal court standard of 75 to 82 percent.

Besides drugs, Dutch has helped track two out of five individuals.

Smeeks said he trains about 200 hours a year to work with Dutch. Dutch's
work has led to more than $10,000 for the city from drug arrests, Smeeks said.

Smeeks said Dutch has several more years of duty on the force. He said the
only reason Dutch could not continue his duties is if he begins to
experience hip problems.

Smeeks thanked his wife, Annette, and family for helping him with the
24-hour job of taking care of Dutch, which has been stressful and time
consuming.

"It was more time than I ever would imagine," Smeeks said. "When you want a
dog you can trust and have faith in, you have to go out and train."

In other council news, Mayor Bill McAfee and Safety-Service Director Dale
Myers, reported the accomplishments of the year, including work on the
waste treatment plant, the water treatment plant and improvements for the
streets department.

McAfee noted the addition of 11 businesses in 2002.

City Auditor Patrick Hines provided a positive outlook for finances in
Belpre for the new year despite reports in other small towns of cutbacks
and shortfalls.

"All the funds are in relatively good shape at the end of the year," Hines
said. "We have more carryover this year than we've ever had."

Council members attempted to pass the second reading of an ordinance
regarding junk cars. As it reads, Belpre business owners would no longer be
permitted to store more than one inoperable vehicle on their premises for
more than 90 days without a fence surrounding it.

The ordinance would prohibit commercial property, except zoned or licensed
junkyards, from storing more than one inoperable vehicle unless there is a
surrounding fence.

The fencing is required to be at least six feet in height and constructed
of nontransparent and noncorrosive material.

According to the ordinance, the fence is required "to obscure the vehicles
in the enclosure from the ordinary view of city residents and persons
passing upon highways, streets and alleys."

The fence must be maintained and no advertisements can be placed on them
except for the name of the business.

The ordinance stated that the safety service director is in charge of
enforcement. Any violation that occurs will result in the commercial
property owner being fined $100. Each day the violation is not corrected
could result in further fines.

It did not make it past a second reading because several council members
and a few citizens voiced concerns over the ordinance and it was put back
into committee for revision.