CAPD says hard drug use is on the rise

Colby/Abbotsford police chief Jason Bauer informed the members of the police commission that his officers have made a number of recent arrests related to drug paraphanelia and drug usage during CAPD’s monthly police commission meeting on Monday.

Bauer delivered the news during his report and said CAPD had recorded five deployments and four drug arrests for the month of January.

Bauer noted that several of the arrests stemmed from possession of marijuana, but he was particularly dismayed that among the arrests, one related to the possession of meth. “We had one drug paraphernalia, two marijuana arrests and one for meth. What’s sad is a meth arrest use to be ‘Holy cow! We got a meth arrest.’ Now it’s routine. We got meth, and that problem is getting worse it seems.”

Bauerdidnotethatheroinusehasbeen on the decline, telling the board that the department has not made a heroin arrest in “a very long time, and that’s definitely a good thing.”

Squad car problems

Bauer informed the board that the department has been having several issues with their vehicles. Bauer told the board that CAPD’s 2017 Durango had coolant lines that needed repairs, and the vehicle also required a new battery.

Bauer said the district spent $2,800 for that repair work. Bauer also said the district’s 2015 Durango has an oil leak that will need to be addressed.

Bauer told the board he attempted to get quotes for new Durangos earlier this month, as the district’s current vehicles are showing signs of wear and tear, and will eventually need to be replaced. However, Bauer said he was unable to obtain quotes for the board.

“I tried to get some quotes, but apparently they’re not taking orders for Durangos,” Bauer said. “They’re not making any government vehicles right now. Every department is having trouble getting cars right now.”

Bauer said at the moment the district does not have many options for obtaining new vehicles. He said the department’s best options are to continue to repair vehicles.

Bauer is optimistic that the situation will improve down the road.

“I’m not sure if we start looking at companies that basically dismantle police vehicles and put them back together, and if we’ll have to do something like that, or take one of ours in and just keep sticking money into it. It’s just a temporary problem, things are going to get better.”

Other business

_ The board approved the minutes of the Jan. 10

2022 meeting.

_ The board approved expenditures in the amount of $16,075.85.

_ The board’s next police commission meeting is scheduled for March 14 at 6:30 p.m.