Vilsack answers criticism of drug unit closing

Governor Tom Vilsack defended his record on public safety during a speech today before the Iowa State Police Association. Vilsack’s Republican rival, Doug Gross, yesterday — during a speech to the same group — criticized Vilsack for closing an Iowa State Highway Patrol drug unit.Vilsack says rather than having a single drug interdiction team, it’s more important to train all Patrol officers so there are as many well-trained observers on the roads as possible. Vilsack says he outlined his Administration’s record in the fight against meth.Vilsack says there’s more staff investigating drug crimes, and ground has been broken for a new crime lab which will speed up investigations. Vilsack and Gross agree that the illegal drug methamphetamine poses the greatest public safety threat for the state.Vilsack says over two thousand meth labs have been found and destroyed in the past three years.