Indianapolis, Indiana - January/February 2006
The inner-city neighborhoods have given way to small-town America in regards to the fight against the most prevalent synthetic drug made in the U.S.-methamphetamine or meth. This highly addictive, illegal drug, also known as "poor man's cocaine", can easily be manufactured in clandestine laboratories using store bought materials. The drug causes paranoid, aggressive, agitated and unpredictable behavior in its users. Indiana ranks within the top five states for meth lab prevalence. Knox County, where Vincennes is the county seat, is considered the heart of a Hoosier "meth corridor" that stretches along the Wabash River from Terre Haute to the Evansville area. More meth labs have been busted along this corridor than anywhere else in the state thanks to a state task force of 125 Indiana State Police (ISP) officers and chemists who are specially trained to battle meth.

Clan Team Cleans up Meth
The ISP Clandestine Response Team is led by First Sergeant Lori Petro. Not only does the team dismantle meth labs across the state (nearly 1000 in 2005), but it also provides the private sector with methamphetamine education training and awareness. According to F/Sgt. Petro, dismantling these labs is critical for more than one reason. "If the meth cook makes one slight mistake, the lab can explode and burn which happens 20% of the time." Government agencies receive training on proper investigation methods, reporting issues, clean-up procedures and cost factors. The prevalence of meth labs has led to drug stores removing certain medications from their shelves and requiring customers to "sign out" products that could be used to manufacture meth.

Divers Protect Our Waterways
The ISP dive team was created to provide search and recovery of evidence and the rescue of victims. The 35 divers are all volunteers and have passed a rigorous pre-screening program, as well as dive school and a one year probationary period. Led by Sergeant E.H. Sunier, their services include both top water and underwater capabilities. ISP divers are not just scuba divers, but underwater investigators who photograph and videotape underwater crime scenes. One of the largest community problems they face is the increased development along waterways, rivers and retention ponds. This leads to more people gaining access to these waterways and ultimately more water-related incidents. According to Sergeant Sunier, diving in Indiana waters is similar to trying to brush your teeth in the dark. "You could probably accomplish the task of finding your way to the bathroom and locating your toothbrush and paste, but try this in your neighbor's home. You would have a hard time finding the bathroom, much less the brush and toothpaste," he explains. His point is that most waterways in Indiana provide zero visibility, but divers must put themselves in stressful, dangerous situations so that criminals can be arrested and jailed. All divers are certified Master Divers and hold specialties including Search & Recovery, Dry Suit, Ice, Zero Visibility, River, and Underwater Investigator . In fact, the ISP dive team is one of a few in the country that has 4 Instructors and a Course Director in-house.

Healthcare Provides Needed Protection
Both the Clan Lab and Dive Team emphasize the importance of a medical evaluation program for their personnel. OSHA has specific guidelines regarding hazardous working environments. "Medical monitoring and wellness programs are a simple step to ensure all employees are protected," states F/Sgt. Petro. Sergeant Sunier concurs, "a medical evaluation is paramount for the diver's safety. Diving is dangerous and every diver knows and accepts that."

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© 2006 Public Safety Medical Services