It sounds like illicit drug use in Fountain Hills is on the decline, but that fantastic news should not be misinterpreted.

According to a report from Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office Capt. Dave Letourneau at a recent Town Council meeting, calls pertaining to drug use in Fountain Hills have dropped off in recent years. In 2012, there were 68 calls with drug connections, according to Letourneau. In 2015, that number dropped by exactly half to 34. Even better, at 21 calls so far in 2016, it looks like the downward trend may continue by the time we hit 2017.

That’s great to hear, but Fountain Hills didn’t get here without a lot of effort, and the positive trends won’t continue if that same work does not continue moving forward.

Keeping a community drug-free is a genuine group effort, requiring commitment from all sectors. Over the past half-decade or so, Fountain Hills has redoubled its efforts to drive home the dangers of drug use, and stats like these show that all of that effort is paying off.

The Fountain Hills Coalition and its Safe Homes Network can enjoy some of the credit, with folks coming together from the Town, schools, community, law enforcement, Fort McDowell, churches and more to keep drugs and alcohol out of the hands of local youth.

Speaking of Letourneau and the rest of Fountain Hills law enforcement, extra effort on their part – including the permanents drug drop-off box at Town Hall and the implementation of the anonymous Text-A-Tip service – has had a tremendous impact.

At the schools, programs like Teen AA, the Above That Club and more have helped remind local youngsters about the dangers of illegal substances, as well as the fact that there are places to turn if the need for help arises.

The figures reported by Letourneau prove that these efforts, and many others, are actually getting results. But if we want to see those numbers continue to inch downward, the work must continue. This isn’t an area where a community should be willing to settle for “good enough.”