CEDARBURG POLICE, PARENTS TALK ABOUT KIDS AND DRUGS

CEDARBURG -- Police have taken children as young as middle school into
custody for drug possession, police told parents at an informational
meeting last week at Webster Transitional School.

"I am not going to say there is a drug problem, but drugs are available and
kids know where to get them," Ozaukee County Drug Task Force Detective Jeff
Taylor said.

Taylor and others spoke at a forum designed to instruct parents about the
dangers and signs of drug use by children.

"We want to let parents know that drugs are out there and children are
using them," said Diane Kennedy, chairman of the Parent Positive
Involvement Cedarburg Chapter.

PPI and Webster Transitional School sponsored the session, which featured
slides and videos of drugs and the drug culture, followed by a half-hour
question-and-answer period.

Cedarburg parent Haly Besaw asked whether or not drug problems surface at
school dances and whether rave parties are common events in Ozaukee County.

Cedarburg Police Sgt. Rick Leach, a member of the Ozaukee County Metro Drug
Unit, said he has seen children as young as 8 at rave dances where drugs
were being sold. He said there have been a few reports of rave parties in
Ozaukee County.

"This is a chance to be proactive, because if we know we are four years
behind, we want to tell you what to watch for so you know when it gets
here," Leach said.

Cedarburg parent Keith Barringer said youth groups like scouts should be
promoted.

"There are groups out there that can be alternatives to smoking, drinking
or doing drugs," he said.

Taylor urged parents to get more involved in their children's lives by
communicating with other parents and looking around bedrooms at home.

Taylor also said schools and police departments offer drug awareness
programs for children in private and public schools. In-service training
also has been available to teachers, he said.

However, Taylor also said a child at Webster Transitional School, which
includes grades 6 through 8, was arrested last year for drug use.

"It is great to help kids make good decisions but there are a lot of kids
out there experimenting with drugs, alcohol, tobacco and sex at a very
early age," said Taylor.

Data provided during the meeting included slides showing that the number of
methamphetamine labs discovered by law enforcement agencies in the state
grew from none in 1998 to 38 last year.

"Drugs are here. They are seriously here. When I hear that we have children
at Webster getting drugs it is scary because they may not know what they
are getting into," Leach said.

"For people who think marijuana is not a problem, I have never had anyone
tell me that their drug use did not start with marijuana," he said.

Leach asked parents to call police if they suspect someone is using drugs.

"I would rather deal with 20, 30 or 40 false alarms than deal with the one
that I miss," he said.

About 50 people attended the meeting.