LOGAN COUNTY (KFSM) — The Logan County Sheriff's Office is on a mission to make parks safe.
The auxiliary K9 team is starting a new initiative to crackdown on drug issues, including drug dealing, in the county.
“My husband and I fund the K9 for our county because we can't afford it, but it's something we need,” said Deputy Dawn Owens of the Logan County Sheriff's Office.
Deputies and civilians said they have found used drug paraphernalia including syringes and needles and bags of methamphetamine where children play. Owens said the Sheriff's Office has decided to start something new to tackle this issue.
“We are going to start going to the parks and public areas that we have known paraphernalia found,” Owens said.
Owens, her husband who is a narcotics officer at the Sheriff's Office and their K9 Sonji, will do this at least once a week beginning March 1.
“I know that Sonji can find needles,” Owens explained. “It's safer for her to go out and search for it than a child accidentally stepping on it.”
She said drug deals are an issue, and often happen during broad daylight.
“The dealer will leave the narcotics there at the park and leave... and then somebody will come later and pick it up and leave money,” Owens added.
Many parents have expressed their concerns to the those at the Sheriff's Office.
“It angers me greatly,” Owens said. “I have children of my own.”
Paris native Del Parsons added, “It’s been that way though for a long time.”
By canvassing parks regularly, Owens is hoping to catch onto patterns and make additional arrests.
“I hope as our mission statement is: get right or get out of Logan County or you're gonna go to jail,” she said.
Deputies said meth is the most prevalent drug being used in the area, but they are starting to heroin, too.