Pubdate: Mon, 15 Dec 2003
Source: Medford Mail Tribune (OR)
Copyright: 2003 The Mail Tribune
Contact:  http://www.mailtribune.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/642
Author: Buffy Pollock

COP HAS A 'NOSE' FOR DRUG BUSTS

CENTRAL POINT - An officer assigned to patrol was recently named the Drug 
Enforcement Officer of the Year for the Southern Oregon region by the 
Oregon Narcotics Enforcement Association.

Jared Banry, 31, who is certified by the state as a drug recognition 
expert, won the honor after being nominated by his department for the high 
number of drug arrests he has made while on patrol.

"Most officers who win this are assigned specifically to narcotics 
enforcement units," said police Chief Mike Sweeny.

"We felt his performance deserved recognition, especially when he's 
compared to people who do this full time. He's definitely got a nose for it."

Sweeny said most recipients are officers assigned to special units who 
focus all their efforts on taking drugs off the streets.

"It's kind of unusual for an officer from a department of this size to have 
the number of arrests that he's generated in addition to doing his regular 
patrol duties," Sweeny said.

Sweeny estimated Banry makes an average 20 drug arrests a year and is 
working on some 90 cases.

Banry was also recognized by the ONEA for making the second-highest number 
of arrests for driving while under the influence of intoxicants.

Banry's father, Medford police Officer Nate Banry, said his son had been 
jokingly called a "drug sniffing dog on two legs," which he felt was more 
than accurate. But his son was quick to insist he was no expert.

"I don't like that word," Jared Banry said. "Evaluator is better because 
once you classify someone as an expert, it means there's no room for 
improvement."

Banry credits his success to utilizing the skills he was taught to help 
recognize signs of drug use in anyone he stops.

"You'll get people dancing around the side of their car, grinding their 
teeth. ... When you know what to look for, it gets to be pretty obvious," 
he said.

"Drugs are like a global cancer. I would like to be full time getting them 
off the streets. If I were to be able to become a narcotics detective, I 
could do that for the remainder of my career.

"They say that a good drug cop craves the drug as much as an addict. I find 
myself getting antsy, needing to find it. I tell people I arrest that I 
crave it as much as them but the difference is that I crave getting it off 
the street instead of putting in my body. They just kind of chuckle."