Police are looking for who's responsible for dumping meth materials at a Sioux Falls public park. Police found the materials for making Meth, Sunday, by the Family Park along N. Ellis Road on the Sioux Falls west side.
It's a park that lives pretty well up to its name: Family Park. If you ask any of its regular visitors, it's not everyday they come across components for meth.
"I'm very surprised at that because I'm here almost everyday training my dogs. I always see cars up on that side of the park so yeah I was surprised at that," Rick Farris said.
Rick Farris lives close by and has never come across anything unusual in the park. He hopes it's just a one-time deal.
"I would hope they're utilizing the park because it's isolated. It's a nice park and I'd hate to see it degraded," Farris said.
Authorities say the person who made the call to Police did the right thing.
"If you see anything out of the ordinary, smell anything out of the ordinary, doesn't hurt to tell the authorities to make sure it's safe," Capt. Matt McAreavey said. "The more eyes we can get out there witnessing this stuff and calling it in will help control the epidemic."
An epidemic that has Farris and others who live around Sioux Falls hoping it stops before it gets worse.
"We're hearing more and more about meth labs being uncovered in Sioux falls and it is a concern. the climate of the city seems to be changing," Farris said. "It is a problem and I hate to see it come out this direction."
Here's an idea of what you can look out for to keep your surroundings safe:
- Any discolored plastic bottles or bottles with tubes hanging out
- Lithium batteries that have been unwrapped
- A strong rotten smell
There are a number of ways to use and manufacture meth but it's always a safe bet to call Police if, and when, you sense something isn't right.
