“Since January 1st of this year we’ve had 292 illegal drug-related complaints so that’s about 48 a month and I think that’s pretty alarming number.”
Public Information Officer Sergeant Kailey Gilbert says that’s a 20% increase from last year in the meth officers have recovered from traffic stops alone.
“Within the last week we’ve had four instances where deputies stopped a vehicle for a traffic violation and through their investigation recovered some amount of methamphetamine from the vehicle.”
Those four stops were in Solon, Cascade, Gaines and Spencer Townships.
“Traditionally people think oh, yeah, this is a drug primarily for the rural communities but no. It’s impacting every single township.”
The sheriff's office is urging people suffering with substance abuse disorder to contact the Kent County Health Department or Network 180 for treatment services and encouraging families to get involved.
“It puts a financial strain on their families because they’re searching for money to go purchase these illicit drugs and they’re also commonly associated with different types of retail fraud or larceny of various sorts - stealing people’s property and selling it quick to get money to purchase these illicit drugs, so it impacts the community as a whole.”
She says traditionally deputies found mostly crack cocaine and heroin during traffic stops but now the most prevalent drug is methamphetamine.
