METH PROBLEM 'SIGNIFICANT'

While Lincoln Police Chief Tom Casady and Lancaster County Sheriff Terry
Wagner had the attention of three governing boards, they wanted to drive
home a point: Methamphetamine use should be a major concern for the
residents of Lincoln and Lancaster County.

Violent crime, including several recent homicides, have been intertwined
with meth use, the two told members of the County Board, City Council and
Lincoln Board of Education at a joint meeting Friday morning. The rapid
increase in thefts from automobiles, with a loss of more than $2 million
last year, is linked with the drug. Forgeries - up 33 percent - and frauds
- - up 21 percent - are linked.

The cost of dismantling a meth lab is a huge drain on personnel and money -
an average $3,000 each time police officers, sheriff's deputies,
firefighters, Nebraska State Patrol troopers, health workers and others put
on protective suits and begin the hours-long process. Twenty-eight people
worked for nine hours at one lab that caught fire in a home.

One man has died in a meth lab explosion, and several fires have caused
serious property damage.

Thursday night, Lincoln police arrested a man who had 1.23 pounds of meth -
along with a loaded gun - in his car when it was stopped for a traffic
violation at 25th and O streets. The 21-year-old had enough of the drug for
about 1,800 doses.

And so, the two law enforcement leaders are on a mission to raise awareness
of methamphetamine use and the crimes and dangers it spawns in the city and
county. In 27 years fighting crime, Casady said, he has never seen a drug
cause such tribulation.

"We see this as a really important significant community issue sliding by
under the searchlights," Casady said. "We're not trying to alarm people
unnecessarily . . . but we'd like it to get a little public attention."

Another critical issue is the environmental hazards to neighborhoods and to
children who live in homes where meth is manufactured - hazards from toxic
chemicals include battery acid, acetone and anhydrous ammonia. Children are
also endangered by addicted parents or other care givers who get so
consumed by the drug they neglect nutrition, personal appearance, jobs,
bill paying and getting their kids to school.

Casady said it is easy for people to dissociate themselves from news
stories on meth until they have a personal experience with use by a
neighbor, co-worker or friend's son or daughter.

But he doesn't see any evidence that the problem has peaked locally or
shown any sign of slowing.

"I think we're hanging on by our fingernails, to tell the truth," Casady
said. "This is not a problem that's going away, but I don't think people
are in tune with it."

Lincoln Board of Education President Doug Evans asked what officials are
doing to solve the problem.

Replied Casady: "Primarily, we're involved in trying to arrest the hell out
of people."

Twenty-three officers and three deputies - including 13 SWAT team members -
are trained to deal with meth labs. But more people need to be trained.

"As a practical matter, we do not want to burn people out. We've got some
personnel who we are overusing," he said. "We need a few more on rotation,
particularly supervisors."

Lincoln also needs more treatment options for users of the highly addictive
drug. And money to continue drug court when the current grant runs out.

Ultimately, something needs to be done "upstream" to keep meth from coming
into the community, Casady said.

"We don't have all the answers, but I can tell you it's a darn significant
problem," he said.