ASHLAND, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ), Alliance for Wisconsin Youth, Marshfield Clinic Health System, and the Northwoods Coalition held a public safety summit in Ashland today to fight methamphetamine use in northern Wisconsin.
The summit is part of kNOw Meth, a public awareness campaign to prevent methamphetamine use. In January 2018, the state committed $50,000 to support the campaign and trainings for public safety officials.
“Ten years ago, we managed to reduce meth in Wisconsin by shutting down the big labs, but the more potent, addictive, and cheaper meth being abused today is from Mexico and has surged in the state,” said Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel. “This public safety summit will give northern Wisconsin officials the tools they need to crack down on the meth ravaging their communities.”
“We have heard from our partners and communities that law enforcement and criminal justice officials would like more training just on the topic of methamphetamine,” said Danielle Luther, Manager – Alcohol and Drug Programs at Marshfield Clinic Health System – Center for Community Health Advancement. “The training will be repeated in two additional locations to centralize the trainings in locations of the areas most affected.”
This one-day training covers methamphetamine trends in Wisconsin, clandestine lab safety and awareness, best practices for investigation, an overview of DOJ’s Treatment Alternatives and Diversion program and tools for people on the frontlines of the methamphetamine epidemic in Wisconsin.
Attendees at the summit include more than 50 law enforcement and criminal justice professionals. A similar training was held in Rhinelander earlier this month, and another will be held in Rice Lake in June.
