Pubdate: Tue, 28 May 2002
Source: Gadsden Times, The (AL)
Copyright: 2002 The Gadsden Times
Contact:  http://www.gadsdentimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1203
Author: Cindy West, Times Staff Writer

ALBERTVILLE CHIEF SAYS OFFICER TRAINING BEHIND INCREASED DRUG ARRESTS

ALBERTVILLE - The Albertville Police Department is making more drug 
arrests, and it's not only because drug traffic has increased. It's also 
because the officers are better trained to spot drug offenses, Albertville 
acting Police Chief Benny Womack said.

"Over the last three years we have increased our training for drug 
interdiction for patrol officers," Womack said. "About 95 percent of the 
drug arrests (in Albertville) that are passed on to the Marshall County 
Drug Enforcement Unit are made by our patrol officers. That's where a lot 
of information is gained."

When a patrol officer finds illegal drug activity, he generally calls the 
DEU in to investigate.

Womack said Marshall County Drug Enforcement Unit Director Rob Savage gave 
a report to the DEU board of directors at its last meeting. During one 
month, most of the DEU cases were in the Albertville police jurisdiction, 
Womack said.

Last summer, four crystal methamphetamine labs were discovered in 
Albertville within a three-week period, and those discoveries owed much to 
information gathered by patrol officers.

"Anytime you give an officer better training it energizes him and gives him 
tools and resources to do his job better," Womack said. "We know and have 
known the problem for years here, but it has increased, and officers pay 
attention to that, too. They pay attention to the drug traffic on the street.

"They have certainly been made more aware of the continuing problem we have 
with crystal methamphetamine manufacturing and distribution.

"When you're dealing with narcotics issues, we're also dealing with other 
issues such as domestic violence, thefts, burglaries and DUIs."

The National Criminal Justice Reference Service Web site offers statistics 
that link the commission of crimes to suspects looking for drug money.

"In 1998 an estimated 61,000 convicted jail inmates said they had committed 
their offense to get money for drugs," according to the site. "Of convicted 
property and drug offenders, about one in four had committed their crimes 
to get money for drugs."

Countywide, the number of arrests by the Marshall County Drug Enforcement 
Unit has increased, and the percentage of crystal meth cases in the total 
caseload has increased.

During the first four months of 2001, the DEU worked 129 cases, 69 percent 
of which were crystal meth, DEU Director Rob Savage said. During the first 
four months of this year, the DEU worked 158 cases, and 84 percent of those 
were crystal meth cases.

"Basically, for each month this year compared to last year, meth seizures 
have doubled," Savage said. "We are focusing more on mid-level and 
upper-level dealers. Those cases take a little longer, but result in bigger 
seizures."
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