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Methamphetamine (meth) use in Washington County is still at a low number compared to other substances abused; however, meth addiction is noted for its high relapse rate, devastating physical and neurological effects and its toxic and dangerous manufacturing process. To assist county sheriff departments in the comprehensive identification and arrest of those involved in meth lab production, the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency (MDEA) has been awarded a two‑year grant to help combat the rise in meth use and production.
"When we first starting experiencing methamphetamines there were less than six [cases] a year" in the state, says MDEA Director Roy McKinney. The low numbers allowed the MDEA the "luxury" of fully investigating a complaint, but as opiate use increased, the time and resources allocated to pursuing meth labs became more difficult to allocate. McKinney says, "With everything going on with opiate addiction, the grant gives us additional overtime to follow‑up on all the complaints we receive."
McKinney explains that meth numbers are increasing exponentially from 37 lab‑related incidents in 2014 to 37 for the first quarter of 2015. Additionally, the making of meth is a highly hazardous process with one pound produced resulting in six pounds of toxic waste. It is often "cooked" in vehicles, hotel rooms, rental apartments and homes because of the relatively simple process called "shake and bake" and inexpensive materials involved. During the production process an empty 2‑litre soda bottle might be used, tossed alongside the road as garbage and unsuspectingly picked up by a bottle picker for redemption. Any meth lab investigation involves an MDEA team with specific training and equipment to contain the site and maintain safety, an expensive and time‑consuming process.
In the fall of 2014 the MDEA was granted $905,000 in federal funds from the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program of the U.S. Department of Justice. Maine was one of 10 states awarded a competitive grant out of a total of $6 million in federal funds. The grant funds the salaries and benefits of four positions, one of which is with the Washington County Sheriff's Department, the replacement or upgrade of specialized equipment such as air sampling and gas metering, hazardous materials suiting, training and overtime pay. The grant terms are unusual, McKinney notes, because they allow the county's sheriff department to fund a new deputy position, which frees up a deputy on staff who has MDEA experience to become fully engaged in joint sheriff and MDEA work. "It's a win‑win," says McKinney.
Patrol Deputy James Malloy was hired by the Washington County Sheriff's Department in early 2015. He has 12 years of law‑enforcement experience and had worked as a part‑time deputy for the department for a little less than a year. Malloy's hiring will allow Deputy Greg Sawyer to continue with his training and work with the MDEA. Sheriff Barry Curtis explains that having Malloy on board allows for the rural patrol to remain robust, an important component of substance abuse monitoring in itself.
Chief Deputy Mike Crabtree elaborates, "Officers on the road capture a lot of information even on traffic stops. Every little different thing we can collect [helps]." Malloy adds, "The more out there we are, people come to us to tell us" information on suspicious activities. He adds that information gathered in the field can be shared with MDEA and other police, sometimes adding a critical missing piece to an illegal substance puzzle.
Crabtree says, "If Jim talks to one person about drugs, then Greg might talk to 40 people. Our job is to help gather intelligence from people. We're a filter."
Those feet on the ground, or wheels on the road, lead to an extensive understanding of the opiate addiction trends in the county. Crabtree explains that, with meth, addicts are "up, up all the time, [whereas] opiate addicts nod out. This is where we are at." However, he adds, "Heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine are coming back. The danger of that is that if an addict loves cocaine, they'll love meth. That is one way that [the addiction equation] could change to meth." He adds, "Addicts will always go to the cheapest fix, but the market will determine the price."
Nabbing all parties involved in meth production is a priority now, says McKinney, with the grant funds allowing the MDEA to "apprehend not just those cooking methamphetamines but all those involved," including those who buy the ingredients. "We want to identify them all and bring them to court." The new message, he says, is that anyone involved in meth production will answer to the law. |
