POLICE CALLING FOR WAR

Officers intent on ending drug problem. Enid Police Department is
intensifying its war on drugs by attacking the problem on a larger scale.

Chief Rick West is intent on driving drug dealers and manufacturers out of
the community. He has a five-point plan to do just that.

"Anything we can do to make their lives more difficult," West said. "It
will be a war.

"We plan on dedicating lots of manpower and effort to this goal."

Capt. Brian O'Rourke said slowing down Enid's drug trade will reduce the
rate other crimes are committed.

"It's just such a root crime," he said.

A variety of property-related crimes typically are attributed to drug use,
as people turn to theft or fraud to feed their addictions. They break into
houses, forge checks or steal from retailers.

O'Rourke said cutting down on the city's drug problem will help the overall
crime rate.

"I have no doubt that we can do that," he said.

West's plan starts with doubling the size of the police department's
narcotics unit, which currently consists of a sergeant and two detectives.

An influx of rookie officers this week will make that move possible, he said.

Then West wants to improve the unit's computer equipment so narcotics
officers have better access to intelligence information.

Officers expect increased criminal interdiction efforts to cut into the
drug trade as well.

West also wants to focus on pushing for legislative changes that would make
it more difficult for drug manufacturers to obtain necessary ingredients.

But the most important part of the plan could be the educational aspect.

Officers have been teaching interested groups about how illegal
methamphetamine labs operate.

O'Rourke said that effort will prepare residents for roles as potential
police informants.

"We need everybody to come forward ... on any drug problem," he said. "We
need people to be involved."

An upcoming seminar for Garfield County Health Department will include
information that will allow employees to identify potential drug activities
they could encounter in their work.

"That's the way we're going to win," O'Rourke said, "is through education."

Sgt. Kevin Morris said it is important for people to have some
understanding of drug labs because the process can be dangerous.

"A lot of the chemicals that are being used ... are hazardous to you,"
Morris said.

Because the police department's intelligence information indicates the
early morning hours are prime times for cooking methamphetamine, West said
department will concentrate its educational efforts on people who are
active at that time, like utility crews, postal workers and newspaper carriers.

Morris said the department's uniformed patrol officers have done an
"outstanding job" of locating clandestine drug labs during that period.

"They know what to look for," he said.

Department officials also have worked with retailers who sell precursor
substances to ensure some items are more difficult to buy in quantities
necessary to manufacture methamphetamine.