Meth use and meth manufacturing poses significant health risks to current and future residents of Dakota County. Meth also poses health and safety risks to law enforcement, first-responders, and other county staff.
Meth in Dakota County
- Since 2000, meth use has been on the rise in Minnesota and in Dakota County. The number of Dakota County residents who entered chemical dependency treatment with methamphetamine as the primary drug has increased dramatically, as have the number of arrests and incarcerations.
- In 2005 and 2006, the trend in meth use started to level off, due to increased awareness and to changes in state law that restrict the sale of chemicals used in the manufacturing of meth.
- Since 2000, 91 meth labs have been discovered in Dakota County, reaching a peak of 28 in 2004. Since 2005, the number of labs found in Dakota County has averaged 7 per year, and just one has been discovered in the first six months of 2008.
- The number of people arrested in the county for meth has declined from an average of 53 per month in 2005 to 33 per month in 2006.
- Despite these improving trends, meth is still a major problem in the county. For example, about one-third of ongoing child protection cases are related to meth.
- The Dakota County Attorney’s Office estimates that 20% of all felony crimes charged in Dakota County involve the sale, manufacture, or possession of meth. If other crimes associated with meth use (such as theft, robberies, and crimes of violence) are added in, meth is involved in 30-35% of all felony prosecutions in Dakota County.
- The County Sheriff estimates that meth users, many of whom have high needs as inmates for medical, dental, nursing, and psychiatric care, occupy approximately 25% of jail beds.
If you have any information about meth labs or illegal narcotics activity, contact the Dakota County Drug Task Force at 651-994-6220.