News Releases
Office of Governor Gary Locke
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - May 1, 2000
Contact:  Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136

Locke offers help for Pierce County's growing meth epidemic

OLYMPIA - Help is on the way to stop Pierce County's growing methamphetamine epidemic, Gov. Gary Locke said today. Locke approved a proposal to offer the county temporary assistance from the National Guard to respond to a dramatic increase in methamphetamine manufacturing in the county.

Under the plan, proposed by Adjutant General Timothy Lowenberg, members of the Guard will assist county sheriff's deputies with investigations and surveillance of methamphetamine laboratories. The Guard's federally funded Counter Drug Program currently helps 40 federal, state and local law enforcement agencies in Washington.

If Pierce County officials accept the state aid, up to four National Guard members will work with the county sheriff's office for up to nine months, until the county has hired and trained staff to expand its methamphetamine response capability, using funds recently approved by the County Council. Like others involved in the Counter Drug Program, they will work in civilian clothes under the direction of local law enforcement officers and will not carry weapons or make arrests.

Two additional Guard members will provide administrative support to the Washington State Department of Ecology, which is responsible for initial cleanup of "meth lab" sites. These sites often contain toxic chemicals and other environmental hazards.

"Meth is a deadly health menace, not only to users but also to those exposed to lab sites," Locke said. "We must all do whatever we can to stop this epidemic, which is spreading to every part of the state, but hits Pierce County especially hard."

Pierce County accounts for about 40 percent of methamphetamine sites identified statewide, and the numbers are growing for the county and the state as a whole - from 54 statewide in 1995 to 789 in 1999, and 362 in the first three months of 2000. The drug can be manufactured from chemicals commonly available in stores. Producing it involves risks of fire, explosion and exposure to toxic substances.

The budget adopted last week includes $749,000 Locke requested to increase the Department of Ecology's cleanup staff. Last year, the Legislature approved the governor's $1.2 million request for a dedicated meth lab response team in the Washington State Patrol, which provides the sole law enforcement response to labs in 37 counties and is also available when requested in Pierce and King counties.

In 1998, the Legislature approved Locke's request to increase sentences for manufacturing methamphetamine, from two years to five years for the first offense. Last month, he signed legislation making it a felony to possess anhydrous ammonia, one of the chemicals used in methamphetamine manufacture, for that purpose. He also signed another bill adding two years to the sentence for manufacturing methamphetamine if a child were present on the premises. Senator Marilyn Rasmussen of Pierce County was the prime sponsor of both bills.

Last year, the governor proposed a $4 million annual grant to Pierce County for comprehensive anti-drug programs, including prevention, treatment and law enforcement. While Pierce County legislators and other officials joined Locke in seeking these funds, the Legislature did not provide them.

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