Rush County LCC completes comprehensive community plan

Coordinator Bob Bridges and the executive council members recommended that as a result of a marked increase in cases involving possession of, selling, manufacturing or operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of methamphetamine, warranted mention and an added problem statement in the plan. Bridges continued by saying that another area of concern is the marked increase in heroin use. 

Although not at the level of many surrounding counties, local and county law enforcement agencies have also realized a marked increase in heroin arrest in recent years.

The LCC was formed more than 25 years ago in 1990 as a means for communities to form a collective group of business people, educators, law enforcement and others as a means to keep county schools a safe and drug free environment for students. It is also charged with forming alliances to battle alcohol and drug use throughout the community.

The LCC has an annual working budget of roughly $20,000 with the funding coming from court imposed drug and alcohol countermeasure fees. Through two annual funding cycles, the LCC supports clubs, organizations and businesses that meet state criteria: prevention/education – intervention/treatment – justice/law enforcement.

The Rush County LCC has determined that underage drinking, alcohol misuse, marijuana use, prescription drug misuse by both youth and adults and methamphetamine and heroin use are problem areas locally and have backed those statements up with local statistics.

During 2014, 14 juveniles were arrested and were charged with alcohol offenses, 60 motorists were cited, arrested and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol. The Rush County Probation Department made two alcohol related arrests for alcohol related probation violations and the RPD arrested 18 individuals for public intoxication. The newly formed Rush County Community Corrections through random testing had six positive tests for alcohol violations. Individuals in the local community corrections program remain out of jail and are able to work providing they adhere to conditions of their parole. Violators are subject to re-arrest and incarceration or additional probation restrictions.

The Rush County Probation Department administered 56 drug test during 2014 and 30.3 percent of those tested failed after testing positive for marijuana use (HTC), seven RCHS students tested positive for marijuana and three juveniles were arrested for possession of marijuana during the past 12 months. The Rush County Prosecutors office were faced with 111 separate counts of passion of marijuana and 11 individuals were prosecuted for selling marijuana during the past year. Community corrections administered 378 drug tests to 116 individuals during the course of the year with 21 testing positive for marijuana.

One of the largest increases realized locally as a result of the Indiana alcohol, tobacco and drug survey taken by local Rush County students is the miss use of prescription medication. Prescription medication, methamphetamine and heroin use are targeted as problem areas regarding the health and well being of Rush County citizens and are actively being addressed by county city and state law enforcement agencies.