I have worked closely with King County Sheriff Dave Reichert to secure school safety officer funds for King County, especially in the rural areas of my district. His school resource officer plan will get officers into our high schools and junior high schools to serve as role models and counselors for our children, who can spot a problem before it starts. The rise of meth use in the State has sky-rocketed. In 1999, Washington State had the second highest number of labs reported to the Department of Justice. King County ranks number two in the number of meth labs in Washington counties.
Pierce County ranks number one.
On two different occasions this year, Jennifer rode around with local law enforcement officers in King and Pierce counties to witness the devastating impact of this drug. The City of Bellevue Police Department has the only forensics lab on the Eastside. This Department services all of the police departments in the surrounding cities, as well as the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The City of Bellevue has pledged funds to rebuild the structure of the lab. Our neighborhood officers put their lives on the line for us daily.