Pubdate: Mon, 28 Oct 2002
Source: Oak Ridger (TN)
Copyright: 2002 The Oak Ridger
Contact:  http://www.oakridger.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1146
Author: Beverly Majors

CLINTON POLICE FOCUSING ON DRUGS

With six months of management under his belt, Clinton Police Chief Rick 
Scarbrough has his department running smooth as silk.

Scarbrough said he made no structural changes in the department during his 
first five months as chief of police, but in the sixth month he launched a 
traffic unit to help with his and his department's main focus -- the 
elimination of illegal drugs.

"We're focused on a mission of trying to eliminate drug trafficking," 
Scarbrough said. "In the month of April, we made more drug arrests than in 
the first three months combined."

By moving some personnel around and getting the traffic unit up and 
running, Scarbrough said officers are enthusiastic about the job they are 
doing.

"We're trying to get maximum results out of the resources available," he 
said. "The entire department is caught up in the traffic unit's enthusiasm. 
In 2001, we made 97 drug arrests and in the last six months, April to 
September, we've made 114 drug arrests.

"We have good people, special people, I know that," Scarbrough said. "But 
in the past six months they've shown the community that they are."

Scarbrough said he has put more cars and more patrols on the road, 
increasing visibility. By doing so, he noticed a decrease in business 
burglaries during the summer.

In the last six months, Scarbrough said the department has issued new 
firearms and bulletproof vests and has five new cars. He said the old cars 
are being refurbished and are being used on low maintenance shifts. He said 
statistics reported to the state have in some cases doubled. He said the 
previous record for drug arrests, set in April, was broken in July.

"The guys (officers) are really working real hard," he said.

Scarbrough said more personnel could be added with the addition of the 
school resource officer program. The Justice Department grant money will 
pay for putting six officers in four schools. The two high schools will 
have two officers.

"Clinton (High School) has the largest enrollment but Anderson County has 
the larger campus," he said.

"This city is growing with industrial development," Scarbrough continued. 
"We're experiencing growing pains. With new families moving in all the 
time, new problems come in. But the number one problem is the drug problem. 
It is the root of everything going on. Oxycontin is out of control, and 
until the state finds a way to regulate it, or do something, we don't know 
what we are going to do about it."

Scarbrough said Oxycontin and hydrocodone are two of the most frequently 
found drugs when arrests are made. He said methamphetamine is also a major 
problem but has to be addressed in another way.

"Meth is so underground it's hard to get a feel of how you are doing," he 
said. "When a lab can fit in a cardboard box, it's hard to track."

Scarbrough said one of his most difficult tasks is getting citizens to 
realize what is going on in Clinton and in Anderson County.

"It's still the best place to raise a family," he said. "But we have issues 
in town."

One issue Scarbrough is not concerned about is the new liquor-by-the-drink 
ordinance recently passed. He said he has not seen an increase in drunken 
driving because of it.

"We plan to do bar checks like we do at Harrison's," he said about 
restaurants that plan to build near Interstate 75 in the near future.

"We are getting a lot of support from the community and from City Council 
to get the resources we need," he said. "I'm really encouraged with Bill 
White (Anderson County sheriff) and his staff. With their assistance and 
support, communications couldn't be better right now."

Scarbrough said working with other agencies is key to stopping the drug 
trafficking in Anderson County. He said he would like to look to a drug 
task force in the future.

"I would like to look in that direction as long as it is equitable to each 
community," he said.
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