Locals advised to be drug aware in their community

Drug Awareness within the local community is one area that needs attention. Sanders County Undersheriff Lanny Hensley is passionate about ensuring everyone knows just how it can really effect locals and their families.

“It’s critically important for locals to be aware of the impacts of drugs,” said Undersheriff Hensley. “It’s their[locals] community. Drug users/dealers don’t seem to take a vested interest in anything involving safe, healthy , prosperous communities,” he added.

As he hits the beat every week around the county with his fellow officers, Undersheriff Hensley sees first-hand all sides of the spectrum that the general public are shielded from. Until it happens to them.

He already has a program that is suited towards the middle and early high school kids, but what he is working on currently is geared towards the general public within the Sanders County region.

“The goal with this presentation I would like to get running in early Spring is for the general public to see how drug use impacts them in ways they haven’t ever considered,” said Undersheriff Hensley.

Adding that sometimes those that may turn a blind eye to the drug epidemic, can by chance end up as part of the statistic.

“It’s always someone else’s problem until your house gets broken into, you become a victim of impaired driving, your insurance rates go up, or your children/loved ones become drug users and so on,” he explained.

Hensley says that if we can be aware, educated and even have an understanding of all aspects it can really do a lot to deter drug runners and dealers from the community.

Typically they don’t like to bring attention to their ‘business’, and if people are informed and looking out for their neighbors and friends, it can/will make them feel uncomfortable. That is when they start looking elsewhere, that is when they tend to leave.

With programs such as the old D.A.R.E. and Neighborhood Watch programs, they did well to get communities looking and understanding that a safe neighborhood is achievable in any location.

As the years have moved on from those programs that hit their heights in the 80s and 90s, Undersheriff Hensley understands that some of the more pertinent information could be outdated.

“In order to have an impact, you have to take the business away from the dealers. But to do that you have to educate people to make the right choice, and to intervene in the lives of those around them to help get them get off the drugs,” he said.

Even though it may sound bleak and uneasy to some, the proposed seminar will also cover tips on how to be apart of the solution.

This can be seen as the most important part of combating the drug issues within the county.

“We will cover short term and long tern enforcement and prevention,” said Hensley.

Short-term enforcement can be seen in simple tasks such as community watch programs, tips, getting vehicle plate numbers and so forth. Anything that could help aid law enforcement to disrupt the movement of drugs.

Long-term prevention can be seen through education and taking away business from drug dealers one user at a time. By making the community unattractive to drug users and dealers is aided by strong community support and communication with law enforcement.

“I’m hoping to secure a number of speakers from different areas,” said Hensley.

He also added that he hopes to obtain speakers with experience from a range of areas and on a range on topics; To which include, public health, insurance, law enforcement, mental health and the medical field to highlight just a few.

Hensley is hoping to secure speakers with experiences in any area that can be of public concern for resources and health. He also mentioned that, if he can secure enough speakers, he hopes to hold the seminar in three towns to give county residents enough opportunities to attend and get the inside scoop on how to do their part.

“The more people-who aren’t involved in drug use-sees how it can really affect them, regardless of how well they think they’re able to distance themselves, the better the success will be,” he said.