Drug task force's message to kids: We're on your side

Participants in the Boys & Girls Clubs of West Central Missouri’s XTREME Summer program on Monday were visited by members of the Mid-Missouri Drug Task Force, who stressed a simple message:

We’re your friends.

The task force does between 30 and 40 educational presentations each year to groups such as schools, civic groups and law enforcement agencies. The message is tailored to each group’s age level and needs. Deputy Don Isaac said Monday’s program for a group of 6- and 7-year-olds at Skyline Elementary School in Sedalia was fairly basic, because “kids this age don’t understand what drugs are yet.”

“We want them to know that we’re their friend; we’re here to help them, not arrest them,” Isaac said.

With older students, task force presentations stress consequences of illegal behavior and explain that “whoever you are with can get you into trouble,” Isaac said. But when reaching out to younger students, “We try to keep their interest, that’s why we like to bring in the dog.”

Elyn is a 110-pound full-blooded German Shepherd. Her handler, Detective Kip Bartlett, said she cost about $10,500, and came to the task force in 2003 after being trained for two years in Czechoslovakia. It took Bartlett about two weeks to learn the Czech language commands that Elyn responds to.

The children shouted “lay down,” “roll over” and “speak” at Elyn, but she sat stoically, her eyes trained on Bartlett and the ball he prepared for her to recover. When Bartlett gave her the command to bark, she responded and the children giggled.

Bartlett said Elyn is trained in four areas: area searches, building searches, tracking and drug detection. She can detect marijuana, methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin.
“She’s a cop dog,” he told the children. “She is basically a policeman.”

Isaac asked if the children wanted to see what it is like to be handcuffed, and they leapt to their feet and lined up eagerly for the opportunity. Afterward, he told them that the task force arrests at least 10 people per week, sometimes 10 at a time. When a child asked what people get arrested for, Isaac said for “hurting people, selling drugs or robbing banks.”

As use of methamphetamine and other drugs becomes more widespread, the task force it trying to spread the message about its role in curbing drug manufacture and use.

“We have to get started with them this early,” Isaac said.