Fed Funds For Meth Lab Cleanups Reduced
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Daniel [email protected]
While the number of meth labs have increased in places like Kosciusko County, funding for destroying them is only assured for four more months in Indiana.
Funding for meth lab cleanup is two-fold.
Money is made available for state and local agencies to clean up meth labs. A separate grant was made available through the DEA to have those meth labs put in containers, labeled and then destroyed by Summit Environmental.
Summit had a contract with the federal agency to pick up, then destroy all meth labs, according to Indiana State Police 1st Sgt. Niki Crawford.
Crawford is the commander of the ISP meth suppression section.
In 2010, the state spent $600,000 through the grant.
While police will continue to clean up meth labs, funding for their destruction is now a concern.
Both Crawford and Kosciusko County Sheriff Rocky Goshert said police will continue to investigate, seize and clean up meth labs the same as before, and that not cleaning up meth obviously is not an option.
The problem lies in where funding to destroy them will now come from.
Goshert said he was told the state is funded for about another four months.
Crawford said the state is looking for other grants and into other avenues for funding, and hopes to have an answer on some funding options within a week.
Crawford said that many grants are very specific on what they can be used for, so while another agency like Homeland Security may receive a large grant, it can't be used toward meth suppression.
She said that going to local agencies and counties to make up the difference is a "last-ditch effort."
While it may be a last-ditch effort, the Indiana Sheriff's Association met this week to discuss the issue.
Goshert said that increasing the drug interdiction fee for someone convicted of a meth-related crime isn't really an option because it's hard enough as it is to collect that money.
In 2010, Kosciusko County had 85 meth labs it processed. Goshert said, conservatively, that it took officers 18 to 20 hours per meth lab to process, clean up, investigate and store meth labs.[[In-content Ad]]
While the number of meth labs have increased in places like Kosciusko County, funding for destroying them is only assured for four more months in Indiana.
Funding for meth lab cleanup is two-fold.
Money is made available for state and local agencies to clean up meth labs. A separate grant was made available through the DEA to have those meth labs put in containers, labeled and then destroyed by Summit Environmental.
Summit had a contract with the federal agency to pick up, then destroy all meth labs, according to Indiana State Police 1st Sgt. Niki Crawford.
Crawford is the commander of the ISP meth suppression section.
In 2010, the state spent $600,000 through the grant.
While police will continue to clean up meth labs, funding for their destruction is now a concern.
Both Crawford and Kosciusko County Sheriff Rocky Goshert said police will continue to investigate, seize and clean up meth labs the same as before, and that not cleaning up meth obviously is not an option.
The problem lies in where funding to destroy them will now come from.
Goshert said he was told the state is funded for about another four months.
Crawford said the state is looking for other grants and into other avenues for funding, and hopes to have an answer on some funding options within a week.
Crawford said that many grants are very specific on what they can be used for, so while another agency like Homeland Security may receive a large grant, it can't be used toward meth suppression.
She said that going to local agencies and counties to make up the difference is a "last-ditch effort."
While it may be a last-ditch effort, the Indiana Sheriff's Association met this week to discuss the issue.
Goshert said that increasing the drug interdiction fee for someone convicted of a meth-related crime isn't really an option because it's hard enough as it is to collect that money.
In 2010, Kosciusko County had 85 meth labs it processed. Goshert said, conservatively, that it took officers 18 to 20 hours per meth lab to process, clean up, investigate and store meth labs.[[In-content Ad]]
Have a news tip? Email [email protected] or Call/Text 360-922-3092