LEGISLATION WILL PROPOSE METH BOUNTY; LAWMAKERS' BILL WOULD ENABLE REWARD FOR TIPS

Missouri Republicans will offer a bounty for busting methamphetamine labs in legislation that provides that the state for the first time finance rewards for crime tips.

The proposed "Bounty Bill" offers a $10,000 reward for information leading to the destruction of a meth lab and the arrest and conviction of the lab operators.

"We call it the Bounty Bill. It's the quicker picker-upper," said Rep. Patrick Naeger, R-Perryville. "Really, that's what we hope this legislation will do: Pick up criminals and put a stop to meth production."

It is proposed by Naeger; Mark Richardson, R-Poplar Bluff; and Connie Cierpiot, R-Independence. They hope to introduce the legislation this week.

Money for the proposal would come from the state's general revenue fund and would be placed into a new Missouri Operation: Safe Neighborhoods Fund through the state Department of Public Safety budget.

A toll-free hotline would be set up through the Missouri Highway Patrol for people to call and report suspected meth labs. Tipsters could remain anonymous.

The proposal calls for $4 million to fund the measure. It also contains a three-year sunset clause.

"We have a crisis in the state of Missouri," Naeger said. "We think this problem is so bad we are willing to put this kind of money into it to eradicate it."

In 1996 and 1997, Missouri topped California in the highest number of meth labs busted. Law enforcement shut down 235 labs in 1997, Naeger said. "And Missouri already this year is on a record-setting pace," he said.

"We're the meth center of the world," Richardson said. "That's certainly a dubious honor. To the people willing to spread death by meth, we just put a price on your head," said Richardson.

"If we're going to get serious about the war on meth, we've got to take the kid gloves off."

Richardson said the Bounty Bill wouldn't be a cure for the problem; lawmakers expect other bills concerning methamphetamine to be introduced this session.

The Bounty Bill legislation is based on successful local crime fighting programs like Crime Stoppers in Cape Girardeau. Crime Stoppers offers a reward for information leading to an arrest in targeted crimes.

"This is a pro-active thing where citizens could participate," Richardson said.

Cape Girardeau police Sgt. Carl Kinnison said paying for information involving crimes has proven successful in the past. Crime Stoppers in Cape Girardeau County has provided information leading to arrests.

"That motivating factor of receiving money does help," Kinnison said.

Kinnison also agreed that the methamphetamine problem is serious.

"Not only is it a dangerous drug as far as what it does to the user," he said. "But the production is extremely dangerous and hazardous to the environment."

Naeger said people in the methamphetamine business are in it for the money. "Now, that seller or cooker has just become worth $10,000," he said. "The race is on to see who can turn him in first."