Pot times
Program Educates Retailers To Combat Meth Crisis
URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05/n1089/a07.htmlNewshawk: Herb
"Our officers were finding receipts, cold medicine boxes and other things
that were bought at local stores," he said.
The program began after Franklin County sheriff's deputies began going to local
retailers to ask them about meth, and they found most employees had no idea how
people manufactured it.
"We started out small in our community, targeting department stores,
grocery stores, auto and hardware stores," Grellner said.
Orscheln Farm & Home in Washington, Mo., is one of the businesses supporting
the CHEM program.
"We've cooperated with the police, put signs up and had employee training
on two occasions," store manager Chuck Gunn said.
According to Gunn, the store's participation in the program has reduced the sale
of products that could be used to make meth.
"We were selling a lot of iodine and starter fluid, now those sales have
dropped a lot," Gunn said.
His store has also been responsible for several arrests.
"We've called the police about some suspicious people, and they've caught a
couple because of our information," Gunn said.
In Franklin County, the number of meth labs dropped significantly when the
program was first implemented.
"We saw 160 meth labs drop down to 107," Grellner said.
Capt. Ron Reprogle of the Missouri State Highway Patrol stationed in
Jefferson City said he hopes the success in Franklin County can be replicated
statewide.
"We know the program has been successful, and we're looking forward to it
being implemented statewide," Reprogle said.
Grellner said one of the problems he faced with the program was the continuous
education of store employees.
"We found out retail has a high rate of turnover, so we had to reteach new
employees," he said.
The CHEM program will be officially introduced at the Missouri Sheriff's
Association conference at the end of July.
For more information, retailers can call Grellner at the Franklin County
Sheriff's Department, 636-583-2560, or visit www.chem-partner.org.
