METHAMPHETAMINE WORKSHOP SET TO INCREASE AWARENESS

Methamphetamine continues to be a growing problem in Pottawatomie County,
in Oklahoma, and just about everywhere.

In an effort to increase public awareness for city and state employees and
interested area residents, a special workshop will be held Wednesday night
in Shawnee.

District Attorney Kay Christiansen and the district attorney's office is
sponsoring the evening of free training for those wishing to attend.

The topic is "Methamphetamine Lab Dangers and Drug Endangered Children."
The training will be 6 p.m. to 9:15 p.m. in the auditorium at Gordon Cooper
Technology Center.

Guest speaker for the event is Agent-in-Charge Jerry Harris of the Oklahoma
Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs.

Harris has worked with the bureau since 1979 and will share insightful
information about methamphetamine labs and the children who become victims
of the miniature toxic waste sites, officials said.

Harris, an Oklahoma native and law enforcement official for 29 years, also
is a 1988 FBI National Academy graduate.

He is involved in educating the public on the illicit manufacturing of
methamphetamine in clandestine laboratories and is further leading a push
toward response teams for drug-endangered children.

He is a veteran state narcotics agent with 23 years in drug enforcement.
Participants at the event will see meth labs from start to finish and learn
how they are directly and indirectly affected.

Addiction to methamphetamine is the worst epidemic to plague Oklahoma in
the last 10 years. Since meth labs can be found almost anywhere, officials
feel city and state officials should acquire the knowledge the training
provides for their safety.

Concerned residents also can benefit from this presentation.

The course is C.L.E.E.T. certified for law enforcement and counts toward
mandatory training hours as well.

Several local law enforcement officers will be available to answer questions.

For more information about this event, call the district attorney's pffice
at 275-6800.