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Utah Meth Cops Project and My Experience
My name is Gary Powell and I am a Past President of the Utah Narcotics Officers Association. I was assigned to the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force for approximately 6 years. During my assignment, my primary focus was on detecting, investigating, and dismantling clandestine methamphetamine labs
and the criminal organizations that were using them to poison our communities. Initially we responded with what little training and equipment that was provided with the intent to do the right thing for the right reason. We entered and stayed inside chemically contaminated homes, storage units, vehicles, and, God knows, every other possible location that the suspects thought they could get away with cooking meth in.
Several years after I was reassigned and began to push the black and white around again I began to experience some noticeable health changes. Like most I figured that age, stress and the job, or just life in general were catching up with me, but then I noticed that a majority of the guys that I had worked with during that time frame were experiencing very similar health issues to mine. Then it happened, another police officer and very close friend, was diagnosed with liver cancer. There was no family history of the disease. We all sat and watched as the disease racked his body and the cancer ate him down to nothing. We ended up losing him.
It was about the same time that others around the state who had been assigned to similar task forces were also diagnosed with assorted cancers. It became apparent that something that we were all exposed to was causing serious health issues, including cancer and above the national average. One thing for sure, those affected were from different state agencies, different ages, different races, but the one thing that was a constant was they were all assigned in one capacity or another to the dismantling of clandestine methamphetamine labs.
Like many others I was suffering from constant headaches, gastrointestinal issues (just ask the wife), difficulty sleeping, short term memory loss, irritability, joint pain, breathing difficulty, and constant fatigue. No matter how much sleep I got (usually very fitful) I was always tired. All I knew was that my family was paying for it. I had no energy and, even though I am assigned as a bike patrol officer riding my bike 10 hours a day, I would wake up and feel as if I hadn't slept a wink. I knew there had to be a reason and when I talked with the "old" narcs at the UNOA conference quite a few of them were dealing with the same issues.
Shortly after losing one of our friends a Past President of UNOA emailed me and told me about a program to help detox cops. Like most cops I was very skeptical about how anything could possibly help me nearly five years after leaving narcotics. I began to research the program and decided to do it.
I have to tell you that the regimen was not easy. I guess I thought that just sitting in a sauna hanging with the "bro's" would be a cakewalk but I found out it was not. The program is 7 days a week 4 – 5 hours a day no matter what you had going.
"I began my day with a 20 – 30 minute workout to get the blood flowing. It was sauna time after that with a regimen of assorted vitamins, and of course, all of the water that you could possibly drink and then some more. We spent 20 minutes at a time inside "the box" and the first, watching the timer countdown was excruciating. At times the temp reached upwards of 160 – 180 and the last couple of minutes lasted longer than the last two minutes of the Advanced Officer run at POST. It was obvious from the first time I stepped into the office of the program that the staff was dedicated to do whatever they had to do to make it successful.
Towards the end of the program things did get easier. I finished the program in 33 days. Others were faster and others took longer to finish. I felt as if I had made significant gains.
I am not a doctor and I can't give you any official reasons why I have experienced what I have, but I know how I feel and I can honestly tell you that I think that attending this detox program was one of the best decisions I have made. Some of the ailments I experienced prior to the program diminished and some of them went away completely.
Prior to the program I was taking pills to get rid of headaches 4 or 5 times a week and now it's a rare occasion that I take anything. My sleep has improved significantly and I think that my irritability has diminished as well. You will have to ask the wife to verify that statement. The gastrointestinal issues have significantly reduced although I still experience some issues but not as frequently and usually not for extended periods. I was dealing with diarrhea several days a week and now it rarely happens.
The detox has definitely made a positive change in my life. I wish I could say that I won't develop cancer in the future but I know that I am good for now, and I think that has made the biggest impact on my family and me. I am proud that UNOA has stepped up and supported the program and I am passionate about the fact that no other situation has had such an impact on Narcotic Officers in the state.
We need to come together and help each other. I challenge you to talk to the others who have attended the program. If you have any questions about the program I will do my very best to answer them and if I can't then I will put you in contact with those that can. Please feel free to call me anytime.
If you have disassembled even 1 lab in your career I challenge you to take the time to look into the program and throw your support behind it. It has changed my life and I think if you talk to the others who attended the program you will find the same results from them.
Gary Powell
Past President
UNOA
801-376-5501 |
