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Data collected by Kosciusko's drug task force shows reported cases in the county of methamphetamine use decreased over the last two years.
Cases of discovered meth labs also fell, with 8 reported in 2005 compared to more than 20 discovered in 2003.
Sheriff Aaron Rovenstine credited last year's results to the efforts of the Kosciusko County Drug Task Force, which has been enforcing as well as educating the community on meth and other drugs since 2001.
Officers within the task force, both from the Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department and Warsaw Police Department, started the "Meth Watch" program, the first organization to do so in Indiana.
"Meth Watch" teaches individuals how to identify both meth users and the labs in which the drug are produced. Mike Spiegle and Joe Mooney, both of the task force, said the program received good response in Kosciusko and helped in the apprehension of local drug users and traffickers.
Officers within the task force have been asked to speak with other communities as well, and helped with the creation of "Meth Watch" programs in other areas of the state.
"We're lucky to have a drug task unit which aggressively goes after this," Rovenstine said. "The city and county have supplied officers for this task, and we're also fortunate to have been able to keep this program going."
Though meth use is down, Spiegle and Mooney both stressed the importance of continuing efforts to decrease drug use of any kind.
Incidents of cocaine and marijuana use grew in 2005. Both city and county officials say the result may stem from the increased surveillance and education of methamphetamines.
"Unfortunately, this is probably the result of targeting meth use. A shift may be taking place," Warsaw Mayor Ernie Wiggins said.
A significant amount of marijuana was reported in 2005, but a large percentage of this was confiscated by the task force during a September raid in Milford, netting 127 of the 156 pounds discovered for the year. Three kilos of cocaine and firearms were also taken during this investigation.
"I wish we didn't have these factors within the community, but that's why we've incorporated the task force," Wiggins said.
Though drugs are being confiscated and destroyed, the force is limited in its ability to deal with addicts and those wishing to quit their drug dependencies.
"We've found that incarceration is the best solution to addiction," Mooney said. "That's why we've tried to show people its important to never use drugs in the first place. If you come to us for help once you're addicted, then the only thing we can do is arrest you.
"We're not physiatrists or sociologists, we're police officers."
Spiegle estimated a high percentage of local inmates were incarcerated due to drug or alcohol related crimes. He recalled an inmate who never wanted to leave the Kosciusko jail because of the fear of becoming addicted to meth again once released.
"That's when you know you have a problem," Spiegle said. "This man would rather have stayed in jail than face his addition."
Rovenstine expressed the desire to increase the membership of the drug task force but also said grant monies used to fund the project were extinguishing.
"We'll have to figure out a way to keep this program running," Wiggins said. "It might be a situation where we rely on public funding."
