Fighting the Good Fight

COMBAT funded programs are designed to address four separate issues--drug prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and law enforcement involvement.

The Community Backed Anti-Drug Tax is up for vote this fall and Mike Sanders, Jackson County prosecutor, wants everyone to know about it. Although this could be a difficult task given the fact an estimated 60 to 70 percent of Jackson County residents don't really know what the tax does.

First developed in 1989, COMBAT started as a local fight against crime and drugs and has turned into an international example of how to try to fight drugs. In mid-June law enforcement members of Azerbaijan, a European country near Russia and Armenia, met with Sanders to discuss how Azerbaijan could develop a program similar to COMBAT. "It's an honor. They could have gone anywhere in the world," said Sanders. COMBAT has also received national recognition, after the National Institute of Justice held COMBAT as a national model for its combination of community involvement and law enforcement participation.

COMBAT funded programs are designed to address four separate issues--drug prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and law enforcement involvement. Drug Abuse Resistance Education, Jackson County Drug Court and Fathering Court are three programs funded by the tax that are county mandated. And while the two court programs have showed some progress, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Missouri still led the country in the number of meth raids and seizures.

Jackson County's Drug Court, an intensive, 18-month program structured to help individuals honestly seeking some sort of treatment, is one way Jackson County has tried to lower drug use levels. Nearly 99 percent of participants have remained employed and away from drugs. But Drug Court commissioner Brian Wimes said many times COMBAT leaders highlight only the positive aspects of the program when it is equally important to focus on areas needing improvement. "We always look at the success stories, but we also need to know why some didn't make it," said Wimes. "We need to look more closely at specific needs and how to meet them." He added that in additional to getting treatment for their drug problem, participants may have their felony charge dismissed. Participants of the drug court only come before Wimes once the prosecutor and defender come to the conclusion that the individual is eligible for the program.

The Fathering Court has also seen a significant amount of success. "We took the toughest case, no connection, no child support, and now 70 percent of them are active fathers," said Sanders.

Both programs are strictly voluntarily, although court-recommended, and Wimes said it is rare that individuals recommended to drug court don't take the offer. "Generally everyone volunteers, but if they don't the case is docked back to the regular courts," explained Wimes.

Jackson County's Drug Abatement Response Team has probably seen the least publicized recognition. During its 11 year run D.A.R.T. has shut down 7,200 drug houses. "There are not many things that a prosecutor can do where the community comes up to you and applauds," said Sanders. "But I'll tell what, we've literally had experiences where the whole community comes out and applauds you because you are shutting down this drug house."

Publicity for COMBAT is limited because no funding is budgeted for public education. This is why COMBAT leaders must depend on its agencies to promote the tax. Truman Medical Center is one of the agencies to receive COMBAT funding. It offers three major programs that are setup to treat substance abuse, teen pregnancy and drug recovery. Jennifer Sykes, the public relations person for TMC, outlined its programs as fitting into the treatment and prevention areas of COMBAT. "If it weren't for COMBAT we might not otherwise have some of them."

With the election approaching, and voters wearily of new taxation, it could be difficult to convince voters a COMBAT renewal is necessary. And without strict accountability requirements voters may see the program as unreliable. But Sanders assured that even though the ballot will not reflect it, there is always something new going with COMBAT. "The reality is COMBAT is based on 73 different agencies, there is something new every year," said Sanders.