A look at the daily police blotter illustrates it, but Bartholomew County Sheriff Matt Myers confirms that there continues to be a drug problem in the county.

Myers was in attendance for Tuesday night’s meeting of the Bartholomew County Council. He was there to support a $48,745 grant aimed at addressing drug abuse in the county, particularly among the youth. Myers notes that the Joint Narcotic Task Force, which includes the Sheriff’s Department, Columbus Police and the Bartholomew County Prosecutor’s Office, is paying dividends. He adds that not only is the task force making arrests, but it’s also gathering valuable intelligence in the fight against drug addiction.

Myers, in supporting the grant, stresses that education is key. He says that includes educating local leaders about the realities of the drug problems in Columbus and Bartholomew County. While the Sheriff was unable to give specifics at this time, he says there are plans in place to provide a presentation to county council members illustrating those very points during a work session in March. Council members indicated that they are very interested in hearing the presentation and asking questions.