Pubdate: Sun, 12 Jan 2003
Source: Delta Democrat Times (MS)
Copyright: 2003 Delta Democrat Times
Contact:  http://www.ddtonline.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2123
Author: AMY REDWINE

POLICE MUSCLE UP ON CRIME

Combined Force Make Arrests

Criminals beware because the Greenville Police Department and the 
Washington County Sheriff's Department are has teaming with law enforcement 
agencies across the state in a concerted effort to take back the streets.

On Saturday, representatives of those departments and officials of the 
Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics called a news conference to make the public 
aware that they will no longer have to worry about walking outside.

Frank Melton, the new director of the MBN said his agency, along with the 
National Guard, the state Attorney General's office, GPD, WCSO and the 
Alcohol Beverage Control made several arrests throughout Washington County 
on Friday night.

"We are working under the direction of the Greenville Police Department and 
the Washington County Sheriff's Department and other communities, and we 
will continue to be a resource for the city and county any time they feel 
they need us," said Melton, a former Jackson broadcasting executive.

On Friday night, the law enforcement agencies teamed up and patrolled the 
streets until early Saturday morning, making several apprehensions ranging 
from felony drug and misdemeanor arrests, as well as serving indictment 
notices to criminal defendants.

Melton said one club in Leland was closed down because teenagers were 
inside the establishment, where alcohol was being served, and the business 
did not have a license to sell alcoholic beverages.

"I can't even remember the name of it because it was so disgusting," Melton 
said.

The club was raided between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. Saturday.

Meanwhile, Greenville police made about 14 arrests while the Sheriff's 
Department took 11 criminals off the streets. Law officers in other Delta 
towns made arrests as well, however, figures were not available at the time 
of the news conference.

Melton said Greenville is the first Mississippi city in which this 
operation has been performed since his appointment late last year by Gov. 
Ronnie Musgrove. That is because it was the first telephone call for 
assistance he received, he said.

The crime in Washington County and Greenville is nothing unusual for a 
small community, he said.

"There wasn't anything new or different," Melton said. "Mississippi is in 
tough economic times, and we will continue to work together with the Police 
Department and the Sheriff's Department because they also have resources we 
need."

The combined efforts of the law enforcement agencies is part of an 
aggressive program called Operation Safe Neighborhoods.

Washington County Sheriff's Department Capt. David Sessums said 
investigators teamed up after receiving several telephone calls from 
concerned residents that they were scared to walk outside, to go anywhere 
or to let their children play outdoors.

"We are going to target street-level drug-dealing and crime to let the 
hardworking taxpayers know that the streets belong to them and not the 
criminals," Sessums said. "We are going to let the criminal element know 
that they are not in control and that we have people that can come forward 
and help us if we need it."

Greenville Police Chief Lon Pepper Jr. echoed his statements, saying 
authorities are going to do whatever is necessary to protect the residents 
of Washington County.

Melton said it will not be announced when outside agencies are brought into 
a community for assistance with the criminal element, but this will not be 
the last time.

Pepper said the combined law enforcement effort is not an isolated show and 
will be aggressively pursued in the coming months.

"The main thing we are doing is letting people in Greenville and Washington 
County know that they can be safe in their homes and their businesses," he 
said. "We are not going to abandon anyone."

Pepper said law enforcement agencies had a lot of success with Friday 
night's operation, and they will continue to do so. However, the criminals 
will never know where agents are going to strike.

"For the criminal element," Pepper said, "their time has come."
- ---
MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart