David Howard, coordinator of the Substance Abuse Program, explained that the program is run by himself and Ron Kibby, the director of the Comprehensive Care program. Kibby will handle the counseling, and Howard will handle the education for inmates, and Alcoholics Anonymous also provides meetings for the inmates, he said.
Konstantopoulos called the timing of the grant, given the county's drug problem that has been growing for 10 years, "politically motivated."
He said the most important step in addressing the drug problem was to make sure the facility is absolutely free of any drugs. He said drug testing would be mandatory for employees, and could also be used on inmates - especially those about to go back into the work force.
In response to the Oct. 11 arrest of a deputy-jailer, Lisa Tipton, who allegedly helped get drugs to an inmate, Konstantopoulos pointed out that Stone admitted at the forum before the primary election that some drugs are somehow getting into the jail. Konstantopoulos said he wants procedures in place, such as drug testing, extra searches and/or cameras, to prevent this from happening.
