27 October 2005

Governor sends law enforcement leaders to summit on fighting meth
Highway Patrol Superintendent and Crawford County Sheriff to represent Kansas

Kansas’ fight on methamphetamine has led to fewer meth labs in the state, according to the most recent reports, and Governor Kathleen Sebelius is now seeking to step up the state’s efforts against the deadly drug.

To help increase coordination between state and local authorities and the federal government, the Governor is sending two Kansas law enforcement leaders to a regional summit on meth later this year.

“Ensuring the safety of Kansas communities begins by cracking down on the production, distribution and use of meth. We’ve made good progress, and we’ll continue to coordinate with local law enforcement and drug treatment professionals until we rid our state of this terrible drug,” Governor Kathleen Sebelius said.

Colonel William Seck, Superintendent of the Kansas Highway Patrol, and Crawford County Sheriff Sandy Horton will travel to the Midwestern Governors Association Regional Meth Summit in Indianapolis, Indiana, December 13-15, to discuss Kansas’ efforts against meth.

One item they’ll highlight is action taken to make it harder to get the ingredients for meth. Governor Sebelius signed the Sheriff Matt Samuels Chemical Control Act in April, and Kansas Bureau of Investigation figures point to a 64 percent decline in the number of seized meth labs, from June through August, compared to the same period in 2004.

The regional summit will be the first in a series of regional meth summits held in coordination with the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy.

“Meth continues to be a problem across the nation, and Kansas is no exception. Thankfully, Governor Sebelius and the Legislature have fully supported the efforts of Kansas law enforcement by providing us with the essential tools to fight against this devastating drug,” said Colonel Seck.

Sheriff Horton said, “I have seen what meth can do to our citizens and our communities. In my twenty-six years of law enforcement it is the worst drug I have ever encountered. We all need to do whatever we can to combat this drug.” Horton was elected president of the Board of the Southeast Kansas Drug Enforcement Task Force in 2000.

Governor Sebelius and the Kansas Criminal Justice Coordinating Council announced the formation of the Kansas Task Force on Methamphetamine and Illegal Drugs on February 24, 2005. Since that time, the Governor and task force have worked to identify how best to address the problems of methamphetamine and other illegal drugs in Kansas.

Prior to the regional meeting, the Kansas Task Force on Methamphetamine and Illegal Drugs will hold its second Methamphetamine Summit in Salina on December 7. Nationally known speakers will address such issues as treatment for meth users and the challenges of how to treat children exposed to meth.