Pubdate: Fri, 19 Mar 2004
Source: Herald-Dispatch, The (WV)
Copyright: 2004 The Herald-Dispatch
Contact: http://www.herald-dispatch.com/hdinfo/letters.html
Website: http://www.hdonline.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1454
Author: ERIC FOSSELL

ANTI-DRUG SIGNS PLACED ALONG HAL GREER BOULEVARD

HUNTINGTON -- While their source is a mystery, their message resonates with 
people throughout the Hal Greer Boulevard community where they're posted.

Two signs just north of Hal Greer Boulevard's intersection with 7th Avenue 
proclaim "CRACKHEADS YOU ARE BEING WATCHED" and "WE CARE. DO YOU?" People 
started noticing them Thursday, including Thomas Kincaid, a member of the 
Fairfield West Improvement Council.

"I was out today and saw them," he said. "I wonder where in the world they 
came from."

Kincaid, a Fairfield West resident, said there is no question, however, 
about the problems the signs address. He has watched drug trafficking 
continually shift from one neighborhood street to the next, infesting once 
peaceful neighborhoods.

"Drugs have been identified as a problem here," he said. "There's no doubt 
about that."

Huntington Police Department Sgt. Rocky Johnson, a detective and narcotics 
investigator, said Thursday that he and other city police were unaware of 
the signs.

"Good," he said upon hearing the news. "I'm glad to see it, actually."

Johnson explained that he understands the community's outrage toward drug 
dealers and appreciates their willingness to help law enforcement.

"They're fed up with it," he said. "We're definitely seeing more community 
involvement."

He added that that sort of involvement has helped, especially in 
drug-plagued Fairfield West areas such as Artisan Avenue. According to 
earlier statistics released by the Huntington Police Department, more than 
10 percent of the 633 drug arrests made by HPD officers between January 
2002 and last September were made in the 1600 block of Artisan Avenue.

Meanwhile, Todd Dent, who lives close to where the signs have been posted 
along Hal Greer Boulevard, said they seem to be working. He explained that 
the signs were posted early Thursday after cardboard ones posted Tuesday 
were torn down by prostitutes. He said the current wooden ones appear to be 
screwed into utility poles.

"I got my first peaceful night's sleep last night," Dent said. "I applaud 
the (sign poster's) efforts. . God knows, you can't walk out the door 
without people propositioning you or crack heads honking."

Alex White, an employee of Huntington Bicycle Center in the 600 block of 
Hal Greer Boulevard, said broken glass and trash is a constant problem near 
the business, as well as drugged-looking people frequenting the area and 
sometimes coming inside.

"They need to get that under control," he said of law enforcement.

Dent said the signs seem to be a positive first step, explaining that 
prostitutes and crack dealers appear to have moved away from that area.

"If that's what did it, I'm very impressed," he said of the signs. "I wish 
I'd thought of that myself."

Johnson said anyone who witnesses drug activity is encouraged to call a 
confidential drug "tip line" maintained by the Huntington Police Department 
at (304) 696-4444.

"They call us," he said of community residents. "These people are smart. 
They know who's local and who's not. The tips we're getting from the 
community are that 95 percent of these (drug dealers) are out of towners."
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart