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TUESDAY, JUNE 13, 1989 <br /> <br />or described the study procedure adopted by the Committee and consisting of <br /> <br />three major areas of.concern, viz., (1) the local school system, i.e., <br /> <br />education, (2) law enforcement and the courts, and (3) rehabilitation and <br /> <br />community education. Within these three categories the report cited <br /> <br />established programs designed to combat drug abuse, the extent of success of <br /> <br />these programs as well as their deficiencies, and actions required to overcome <br /> <br />these deficiencies. The report concluded with the following statement and <br /> <br />recommendations: <br /> <br />The City has a significant drug problem which affects all citizens. <br />The Committee feels that a community acting together can make a <br />difference, and (that) it is time that everyone--black, white, <br />rich, and poor--join together to defend our community. <br /> <br />The Committee recommends that City Council appoint a permanent <br />blue-ribbon committee to continue to study the drug problem and to <br />coordinate the various preventative-and-rehabilitation drug <br />programs in the City. The new committee should be given <br />responsibility for developing programs in the areas of law enforce- <br />ment and courts, schools, and rehabilitation and community <br />education that will benefit and assist those agencies in dealing <br />with the problem. Priority should be given to implementing the <br />actions needed to overcome deficiencies that currently exist in the <br />community, as detailed in this report. <br /> <br />Council should be prepared to provide funding for new programs and/ <br />or for improvements to existing programs that the committee feels <br />are needed. <br /> <br />The drug abuse problem is nationwide, and Martinsville is no <br />exception; therefore, there should be a national effort and program <br />to deal with this problem. A concerted effort in all localities, <br />however, such as Martinsville, will go a long ways towards <br />addressing the problem. The Committee, accordingly, recommends <br />that Council move ahead with the program cited in this report. <br /> <br />In connection with the report and related matters, Councilman Cole presented <br /> <br />the following prepared statement: <br /> <br />In September of 1988, the Martinsville Bulletin published two fine <br />articles on the subject of drug abuse, including some candid <br />comments by Chief Terry L. Roop and Sgt. David Edwards (of our own <br />Police Department), in which Chief Roop stated, "The problem (drug <br />abuse) can destroy society". As a result, on September 5, 1988, I <br />wrote a letter to Council. This was followed by a thorough report <br /> <br /> <br />