24 February 2005

Governor and Kansas Criminal Justice Coordinating Council Announce Methamphetamine Task Force Members
Kansas Highway Patrol and Kansas Bureau of Investigation Lead the Task Force’s Fight Against Meth

Governor Kathleen Sebelius and the Kansas Criminal Justice Coordinating Council announce the members of the Kansas Task Force on Methamphetamine and Illegal Drugs and the task force’s first full meeting. Governor Sebelius and the Coordinating Council have charged the task force with identifying how best to address the problems of methamphetamines and other illegal drugs in Kansas.

Task force members include co-chairs Kansas Highway Patrol Superintendent Colonel William Seck and Kansas Bureau of Investigation Director Larry Welch; Adrian Polansky, Secretary of Agriculture; Rod Bremby, Secretary of Department of Health and Environment; Sandy Horton, Crawford County Sheriff; Steve Bundy, Rice County Sheriff; Kevin Bascue, Finney County Sheriff; Dean Akings, Great Bend Police Chief; Jerome Gorman, Wyandotte County District Attorney; Clardy Vinson, Topeka High School Principal; Cristi Cain, Shawnee County Meth Prevention Program; Judge Joe Kisner, Sedgwick County District Court; Dr. Eric Voth, Shawnee County; Dwain Worley, KBI Forensic Laboratory; Steve Rosebrough, KBI Special Agent; and Lt. Ray Bailiff, Kansas Highway Patrol.

“We are pleased and excited about the talent of those serving on the task force,” Director Welch said. “The work before the task force is a great challenge,” said Col. Seck, “but together we will make a positive impact on stopping illegal drugs in our state.”

The task force’s first full meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, March 1, 2005 at KBI Headquarters, 1620 SW Tyler, Topeka at 10 a.m. Topics on the agenda include: the local agencies’ and communities’ needs in addressing methamphetamines and other illegal drugs; supporting the passage of Senate Bill 27, which the Senate passed unanimously and requires consumers to sign and show a photo ID to a pharmacist before purchasing tablets containing ephedrine or pseudoephedrine; and developing plans for a methamphetamine summit on May 17 in Topeka.

Meetings are open to the public, unless confidential matters require otherwise.