EDUCATING the public and providing appropriate support networks for families of ice addicts has worked wonders for the Limestone Coast Local Service Area, according to a member of the local police force.
Limestone Coast Drug Action Team leader Sergeant Paul Scicluna, Mount Gambier, said with the prevalence of ice rising across regional and metropolitan Australia in recent years, his team had taken the view that educating their community on what the drug does, what it looks like, and where to get help was the foremost thing they could do.
As a result, a series of "Understanding the Ice Factor" forums had been instigated in the region, with guest speakers and expert panels on-hand to answer questions from the public.
"What we've seen come out of that is exactly what we were hoping, we feel the community is much more educated on the topic and we feel that our services are very much out there and people are aware of them," Sergeant Scicluna said.
Since the first forums were rolled out, he said there had been a number of changes in the community's attitude.
"We've also seen an increase in information from the public and a readiness from the public to come forward to assist police with the problem," he said.
"The whole community is linked on this topic now, as a region it's become something we feel we're dealing with quite well; it's a more coordinated approach."
Two more ice forums will be held on August 19 at Mount Gambier, and August 25 at Robe.
