Since I have been sheriff, the BCSO's drug unit has worked very aggressively with other local law enforcement agencies to identify, quarantine and shut down meth houses in Bradley County. There are so many dangers to the public safety surrounding the manufacture and sell of this lethal, highly addictive drug, that fighting methamphetamine has become a priority, not just in our community, but all over the country.

The deadly mixture of chemicals used to manufacture meth are volatile and poisonous and can interact in a disastrous way, resulting in toxic residue, explosions and fires.

Obviously, this not only poses a threat to the people living in a house or apartment where meth is being made, but to the entire surrounding area as well.

But in addition to the destruction of lives and property, meth also lays claim to another, totally innocent, group of victims, that is, the children found living in these meth "labs."

It is true we cannot choose our parents. We cannot choose our families. And young children cannot choose, nor control, the situation into which they are born. Law enforcement, the courts, social services and other community organizations know all too well the shock and trauma that is visited upon children who are caught in the middle of the deadly war on drugs.

Sadly, in spite of the unclean, toxic conditions in which these children live, their homes are sometimes the only sense of security they have. For them to be forced to leave, sometimes in the middle of the night, after a drug raid is an experience that most of us cannot even begin to imagine. The physical condition of a child in these situations can be appalling and heartbreaking. It is not uncommon for the clothing on their backs to be contaminated with deadly toxins because of their proximity to meth production. This is a serious threat to the most helpless members of our community and it is a story that plays out all too often.

As sheriff, I always welcome the opportunity to partner with concerned groups who recognize the need to protect the citizens of Bradley County and our children from the predators who manufacture and sell meth, as well as those souls who have become slaves to addiction and have lost all perspective except scoring their next fix.

That is why I want to recognize the efforts of Stephanie Reffner at Big City University. Big City University is a ministry of North Cleveland COG dedicated to educating and enhancing the quality of life for children. One area they focus on is helping children who have become unwilling victims of the meth war.

Capt. Steve Lawson and Lt. Jimmy Woody of our Criminal Investigations Division represented the BCSO drug unit at a recent meeting of Big City's S.A.M. (I Am) after-school program (Students Against Meth) and were able to view firsthand some of the positive steps they are taking to help. Both Capt. Lawson and Lt. Woody were impressed and encouraged by what they saw. The young people of S.A.M (I Am) are a very proactive group who have come up with little survival backpacks which they offer free of charge to help children who have become victims of methamphetamine. The packs contain hygiene items, a stuffed animal, crayons, a t-shirt and other necessities and items of interest to youngsters.

The S.A.M. kids themselves came up with the idea for the backpacks. They also came up with the clever S.A.M. (I Am) name and designed the brightly colored, kid-friendly logo which appears on the front of the T-shirts. They even thought up an acronym for the word meth, Meth Ends Tomorrow's Hope, and had it printed on the back of the T-shirts.

This is the type of involvement I love to see, people helping people. If you or your organizations are working to improve our community, we at the BCSO will do whatever we can to help. The BCSO's own drug unit has done a phenomenal job in combating the flow of drugs into and through Bradley County. They have been tireless and effective in uncovering meth labs and quarantining property used to manufacture this virulent drug. I cannot overstate how effective they continue to be in reducing the meth problem here in our community.

If you would like to learn more about the operations at the Bradley County Sheriff's office, log on to: www.bradleysheriff.com. If you would like to contact me personally, call (423) 728-7300, or email: comments@bradleysheriff.com.