Pubdate: Mon, 15 Sep 2003
Source: Lowell Sun (MA)
Copyright: 2003 MediaNews Group, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.lowellsun.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/852
Author: Robert Mills

FRUSTRATION MOUNTS OVER LACK OF DETAILS IN PROBE

Selectman Anxious For Answers About Drugs Missing From Dracut Police

DRACUT It's been more than four months since approximately $80,000 in 
marijuana went missing from the police station, and selectmen are wondering 
when they will be able to start asking questions.

So far, selectmen have held off looking into the incident so as not to 
disrupt the investigation by District Attorney Martha Coakley's office. But 
with little word on the progress of that probe or how long it might drag 
on, Selectman Jim O'Loughlin is speaking out.

O'Loughlin said he does not want to interfere with the DA's investigation, 
but he wants to know if the town can examine whether the incident shows a 
need to change policies or procedures within the department.

"At this point, I don't want to discuss (the incident) even privately 
because I don't want to interfere with the ongoing investigation," 
O'Loughlin said at last week's selectmen's meeting. "But I want to make 
sure steps are being taken to make sure it doesn't happen again."

The incident came to light in April, when Dracut police notified Coakley's 
office that marijuana was missing from one of two locked storage trailers 
behind the police station, near the school complex.

Information on the investigation has been sparse, especially since mid-May, 
when Coakley's office asked the public for assistance.

With frustration growing among some residents, O'Loughlin asked Town 
Manager Dennis Piendak to write Coakley's office to ask if a review of 
police policy and procedure would do any harm.

"I think we have a responsibility to find out exactly what happened," 
O'Loughlin said. "I'm not talking about the specifics of the case itself 
that will play out with the investigation by police and the DA but we have 
a responsibility as to the policy and procedure that may have led to it."

Emily LaGrassa, Coakley's spokesman, said the office couldn't comment on 
the letter because it has not yet been received.

LaGrassa said she understands the frustration of the public and town 
officials, but the integrity of the investigation is the first priority.

"Sometimes it's hard for the public when it's something that involves 
police or a public entity. They want to know what is going on," she said. 
"We understand that, but we need to make decisions based on what's best for 
the investigation and make sure that when the time comes we have a case 
that will stand up before a jury."

LaGrassa and Dracut Police Chief Louis Panas both said that releasing 
information could harm the probe.

"Having information public can compromise the investigation," LaGrassa 
said. "For instance, we don't comment on suspects, because if you have a 
suspect it's probably not in the best interest for them to read it in the 
newspaper."

Panas and Dracut police have referred all questions about the probe to 
Coakley's office, at the district attorney's request.

Panas and LaGrassa said an investigation of this sort can be lengthy.

"There were no witnesses to the crime at least that we're aware of which 
leaves a pretty huge universe of suspects to look at," LaGrassa said. "(The 
drugs) were also stolen from a fairly public area that a number of people 
had access to."

With so many potential suspects, LaGrassa said investigators have had to 
conduct a lot of interviews.

She said it can be hard to decide who should be interviewed, coordinate the 
schedules of investigators and those being interviewed and to give 
interviewees a chance to hire a lawyer.

She added there was also a delay between the time the drugs went missing 
and the time the investigation began, though she could not say how long.

Panas said he could not comment on what caused the delay, or whether it was 
because the disappearance was not immediately discovered.

LaGrassa said investigators are still pursuing leads.

"It has been a very difficult investigation, so we're not going to set a 
timeline on it as far as when it's going to be done," she said. "It's 
active and open, but it's not clear that there will be a quick and easy 
resolution to the case."
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