On Monday afternoon, US Representative Zach Nunn made a stop in Guthrie Center at the Guthrie County Courthouse to speak with the Sheriff’s Office and members of the public.

Nunn started off by giving a short summary of what has happened recently in Washington D.C., then asked law enforcement about what things they are seeing locally that he could try to help with. Guthrie County Sheriff Marty Arganbright shared that since he started serving 27 years ago, the amount of meth related arrests have drastically increased, and that at this time most inmates at the jail were there for meth-related charges.

Arganbright added that meth users could be anyone now, and that the drug is more addictive than ever before. Deputy Blake Michelsen said that meth gives the highest release of dopamine than any other drug or natural act, releasing 1,000 milligrams, which helps the drug be so addictive. Jail Alternatives Coordinator Breanna Morman-Mink with Heart of Iowa Community Services shared a story of an inmate that she and Sheriff Arganbright have worked with to help overcome their addiction.

Panora Police Chief Matt Reising shared that when it comes to small law enforcement departments, there needs to be better pay. He explained that for the size of Panora, his salary was fine, but that for actual officers, the starting amount that he could offer was very much below what could be considered competitive. Two Iowa State Patrol Troopers were also in attendance, and shared that for the district Guthrie County is in, there are only two troopers in the region. Both Reising and the Troopers mentioned that necessary subscriptions and the price of equipment were outrageous, and mainly because the manufacturers of the equipment knew it was something all law enforcement agencies had to have.

Arganbright then shared that besides the increase in drug cases over his career, there has also been an increase of human trafficking, and shared two instances that he helped in. He and Michelsen shared that with Interstate 80 being a major travel corridor, there has been a lot of illegal goods and funds moving along the southern part of the county, with Adair and Stuart having seized over $1.5 million in the last year. Nunn and members of his office then shared about funding that the different agencies could get in contact with them to try and apply in the form of grants. Nunn then shared that an Iowa Medal of Merit has started to be minted, and that if there were individuals that they or anyone they knew believed were deserving of one, they could nominate them.