Is there anything different or new being done to tackle the methamphetamine problem?
A. The dedicated men and women of law enforcement are doing an outstanding job in taking the dealers and users off the street. We are doing a good job in prosecuting the offenders. I implemented the Grand Jury system in Kootenai county three years as another weapon in our battle against drug traffickers. This is the first time we have a standing grand jury in Kootenai County, which meets about once per months to hear various cases. We also applied for and obtained a criminal justice grant to start north Idaho’s first Drug Court which we run in cooperation with the court, defense lawyers, treatment providers, and the Department of Probation and Parole. It is designed to address the less serious, first time drug offender. It forces that defendant into treatment for nine months and is strictly run. This was started in October 1999, and we have seen great success. We want to keep it going, because we know that eventually it will greatly reduce the number of repeat offenders.
