Police focus on curbing meth use
By Josh Funk
Senior staff writer
An explosion in the methampheta
mine trade has forced Lincoln-area law
enforcement agencies to focus their
efforts on the drug.
A cheap (nice, relatively easy man
ufacturing and a lasting high have made
foe drug popular across foe state and in
Lincoln.
During the past three to four years
Lincoln^ methamphetamine trade has
dramatically increased, Lincoln Police
Narcotics Dipt Duane Bullock said.
“We’re not talking about small
amounts of meth,” Bullock said. “We’re
talking pounds.” ^
University police also have seen an
increase in die use of the drug, Sgt.
Myk> Bushing said.
“Last year we had two or three cases
(involving methamphetamine),”
Bushing said. “Before that we had not
had any cases for a few years.”
Multi-jurisdictional narcotics task
forces have been working statewide to
seize illegal narcotics and impede foe
drug trade.
In 1996 those task forces seized
67,912 grams (about 2,395 pounds) of
methamphetamine, according to the
Nebraska Commission on Law
Enforcement and Criminal Justice’s
annual report for 1997.
In 1995 those same task forces
seized 15,543 grams (about 548
pounds), and in 1994they seized 11,150
grams (about 393 pounds).
In 1993 there were 922 grams
(about 32 pounds) of methampheta
mine seized, the annual report said.
Though mefoamphetamines are the
biggest problem, other drugs such as
marijuana, cocaine and crack cocaine
also are problems.
Incidents involving other drugs
have not decreased in Lincoln, but the
methamphetamine trade has grown
beyond other narcotics, Bullock said.
“Personally, I think Lincoln is a tot
better off than other cities our size,”
Griess said. “There are a lot of good
programs in the community.”
Interstate 80 also brings large
amounts of drugs through the area.
“1-80 is a pipeline of transportation,
and many dealers use it to transport
drugs,” Griess said.
Police agencies have formed nar
cotics task forces to address the growing
problems of drug manufacturing, trade
and trafficking in Lincoln and across
the country.
“The task forces promote statewide
and national cooperation (in law
enforcement),” Bullock said.
The task force cooperation has
helped narcotics officers make arrests
of suppliers and distributors across their
state or even cross-country.Bullock
cited drug arrests the LPD has made in
California and Arizona as proof of task
force effectiveness.
Because of the interstate transport
of drugs and complex, organization,
Bullock said, many drug investigations
and subsequent prosecutions become
federal cases.
Fortunately Lincoln’s drug problem
does not include the widespread manu
facturing of drugs because most are
available from other sources, Bullock
said.
“Most of our meth comes from
Mexico,” Bullock said. “But a tot of it
originated in the middle of the state.”
Production centers have appeared in
Grand Island, Kearney and other parts
of Nebraska. Bullock said many
methamphetamine labs are in Missouri,
so there is no need for production in
Lincoln.
Methamphetamine is a highly
addictive stimulant of the central ner
vous system that triggers the release of
dopamine, a feel-good chemical critical
to normal brain function, said Topher
Hansen, director of development and
legal counsel for CenterPointe sub
stance abuse center, 1000 S. 13d1 St
“It is much easier to become depen
dent to meth in a short amount of time
than other drugs,” Hansen said.
Methamphetamine is similar to
amphetamines, but it produces a
stronger effect on the brain.
Methamphetamine is an off-white
or yellowish-colored, odorless and bit
ter-tasting crystalline powder soluble in
water or alcohol
The drug can be smoked, injected
intravenously, snorted or taken orally.
Its effects last eight to 24 hours
longer than cocaine.
Methamphetamine is made from
highly toxic chemicals such as red phos
phorous, ephedrine, iodine and lye in
dangerous home labs, according to
information from the Nebraska
Department of Health and Human
Services.
These labs can be almost anywhere
- a house, motel room or even the trunk
of a car — which makes detection diffi
cult for police.
The production of the drug is highly
volatile, and labs can easily explode,
according to the department
Bullock said that in his 20 years of
narcotics experience he has seen the
drug become more potent and addictive
since its beginnings.
Treatment centers in Lincoln also
have seen an increase in the number of
methamphetamine addictions in recent
years, Hansen said
And enforcement alone is not
enough to affect the drug trade, Griess
said Education needs to be involved too.
Community programs such as
D.A.R.E. and Mad Dads and schools
augment the police enforcement by
teaching children not to take drugs.
Bullock said such community
involvement is important in reducing
the drug trade.
“We have to work on all different
areas of the trade to make an effect”
CORRECTION
*
A story in Thursday’s Daily
Nebraskan about a World War II vet
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The landmark is about 5 miles
inland.
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Charge filed in car wash
Lancaster County Attorney
Gary Lacey has decided to file a
charge against the UNL student
involved in a fatal car wreck
Thursday morning. "
Lacey said Monday that a
charge of misdemeanor motor vehi
cle homicide would be filed against
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
sophomore Chad Reade.
A 68-year-old Lincoln man was
killed just before 6 a.m. Thursday
when Reade’s Dodge Dakota
crossed the center line of
Cornhusker Highway just east of
70th Street, according to police
reports.
The collision completely
crushed the front end of Or
Gazarov’s Mercury Sable.
Gazarov, an immigrant from
Armenia, is survived by his wife,
two adult sons and two granddaugh
ters, who all live in Lincoln.
Reade and two friends riding in
the truck sustained minor injuries in
the crash, but they did not require
hospitalization.
Lacey said Monday the charge
would be filed against Reade in
Lancaster County Court later this
week.
Police enforce speed limits
As a reminder to motorists to
slow down, Lincoln police began an
intense enforcement of the speed
limit in school zones last week.
In one week, police issued 1,315
citations, 518 of which were warn
ings, Lincoln Police Sgt. Dave
Hamly said.
Of the 797 tickets written, 52
were for violations in excess of* 21
miles per hour over the limit. These
carry a $400 fine.
Police will be enforcing school
zone speed limits again this week
concentrating their efforts around
the five Lincoln high schools.
Man hurt in knife fight
One man was hurt badly in a
fight Monday morning even though
his friends gave him a knife to even
the odds.
The argument began just after
midnight when one man’s ex-room
mate came to the apartment where
the victim was staying, Lincoln
Police Sgt Tory Sherrill said.
When they started arguing at the
door, the other people in the apart
ment told them to take their dispute
outside, but they gave the victim a
knife before he wait out because his
ex-roommate had one.
The argument escalated into a
knife fight once the two men were
out on the lawn.
The victim sustained bruises
around the face and head and self
defense knife wounds on his hands
and forearms.
Police are still looking for the
man suspected of the assault
Student cited for alcohol
A freshman drinking a beer in
the hallways of Harper Residence
Hall was spotted and cited by
University Police Saturday morn
ing.
Two Community Service
Officers saw the 18-year-old fresh
man drinking from a beer can as
they were making their rounds of
the lO**1 floor of Harper at 1:45 a.m.,
University Police Sgt. Mylo
Bushing said.
When a university police officer
arrived, the student consented to
have his room searched, but no more
beer was found.
The student was cited for being
a minor in possession of alcohol.
Student caught drinking
Another student was cited for an
alcohol violation after he was
caught drinking a beer outside Abel
Residence Hall Saturday morning.
A CSO patrolling the outside of
the building around 2:40 a.m. saw a
student drink from a beer can that
had been sitting on the ledge above
the door, Bushing said.
When the CSO approached the
student he denied that the beer was
his, but the officer could smell alco
hol on the 19-year-old student. He
was cited for possessing alcohol.
Two found with alcohol
Two freshmen were cited for
drinking alcohol in their Schramm
Residence Hall room after a CSO
saw the beer through their open
door Saturday morning.
A CSO making his rounds of the
fourth floor at 2:45 a.m. saw beer
cans lying in plain view inside one
of the dorm rooms, Bushing said.
When the officer questioned the
two freshmen inside, ages 18 and
19, they admitted drinking the beer
and showed the officer another can
in the refrigerator.
They were both cited for pos
sessing alcohol.
Student arrested
A student who was caught
breaking into cars was arrested by
university police on an outstanding
warrant Sunday.
Police patrolling the parking lot
at 1820 R St. saw the 20-year-old
student looking into the back of cars
and trying to open doors, Bushing
said.
When police questioned him
around 4 a.m. he was holding stolen
property in his hands and then start
ed to run.
Police pursued the suspect on
foot to 2232 R St. where they caught
up with him.
An ID check revealed an out
standing warrant from Lincoln
police for maintaining a disorderly
house.
The suspect was arrested on the
warrant and charged with stealing
from cars and fleeing to avoid
arrest
Compiled by senior staff
writer Josh Funk ‘
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