MethWatch

MethWatch Case # 052908

MethWatch began more than 4 years ago with the idea that the media together with the community could help catch people who were manufacturing or delivering methamphetamine.  That idea turned into much more; we not only profiled a suspect every week, we also shared information about this dangerous, deadly drug.  "We tried to keep it to delivery and manufacture suspects, because there was no shortage of those, that's for sure.  We've seen some of that peak and start on the downhill side and that's a good thing," says Medford Police Department's Deputy Chief Tim George.

Over the past 4 years, there was a new suspect every week - repeat offenders were few.  "It is amazing how fast tips came in, when a local person was highlighted.  Because it's those individuals who are around, that really make cases for us," says George.

The Meth Task Force began in 2004 by the late Hank Collins, who wanted to change what he was seeing in his community.  "Fortunately, at our first Meth Summit, Kingsley Kelley was there, Bob Hunter was there from the Mail Tribune and both of them said we have a vehicle to do something extra and one of our goals was community awareness.  So, MethWatch was created, along with the Mail Tribune," says Deeanne Everson, Executive Director of United Way of Jackson County. 

Everson says MethWatch became the public awareness device.  "My measure of success, I was the person, early on in 2004, ruining cocktail parties, talking about meth problems.  Within 6 months of MethWatch, everyone else was spoiling my dinner party, talking about meth.  That's how I know it changed people's point of view."

The segments have ranged from the history of meth to how the drug affects your body, what it does to families, how recovery is the real answer to ending addiction and how treatment can work to turn lives around.  Everson adds, "I'm absolutely convinced that MethWatch created all those other opportunities we had, to get funders, to focus volunteers on it, create new programs.  When we can change one person's life, we actually influence the entire community.  And in the case of MethWatch, we influence the community to change people's lives."

This week's MethWatch suspect is Paulina Kaeser, who is wanted by the Medford Police Department for delivery of meth and by the Jackson County Sheriff's Office for tampering with drug records.  She's described as 5'2", weighs about 165 pounds with black hair and brown eyes.  She has a tattoo of a scorpion on her chest, a dragon on her right calf and pierced ears.  She may be going by the last name of Rodriguez.

The case number is 052908.  If you've seen Kaeser, or have any information on her whereabouts, you can call CrimeStoppers at 1-800-3-DETECT.  Sonitrol of Medford will pay up to $1,000 for information that leads to an arrest.

MethWatch is not going away, but will continue to run on a case-by-case basis from now on.