Pubdate: Thu, 11 Aug 2005
Source: Sampson Independent, The (NC)
Copyright: 2005, The Sampson Independent
Contact:  http://www.clintonnc.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1704
Author: Sherry Matthews, Sampson Independent editor

TRAFFIC STOPS PROVE BENEFICIAL

We've had our doubts about how effective routine traffic stops really
are in the war against drugs.

But the proof seems to exist that traffic stops can, and do, put a
dent in a drug trade that seems alive and well in Sampson County. 
Take, for example, last weekend's Sampson County Sheriff's Department
stops, initiated by the Highway Enforcement Awareness Team and the
Special Investigation's Division.  HEAT and SID, as they are more
commonly known, teamed to make four drug arrests, one which involved
the confiscation of 48 grams of marijuana and $5,000 in cash.  That
arrest came at a driver's license checking station on U.S. 421. Had it
not been for that routine traffic stop, it's most likely the suspect,
the drugs and the cash would have made it to their destination. And
the drugs would have likely soon be in the hands of some of our
children.  Other drug arrests over the weekend - three more in all -
were made due to routine patrols, where officers stopped vehicles for
other violations and, because of their investigative techniques, were
able to uncover other illegal activities.  While there are many
crime-related problems in our county - break-ins, burglaries, assaults
and vandalisms - most can be traced back to the drug problems that
seem to be running rampant.  And, while we want law enforcement
officers to spend as much time investigating - and hopefully solving -
those crimes as quickly as possible, there's no question we believe
that tackling the bigger problem that drugs cause, we will see a
reduction in many of the other criminal problems we have.  That
doesn't mean crime will go away. We've always had crime and it's
likely we always will; but we can make a dent, a large one.  Seeing
law enforcement units working together to make that happen is
refreshing and advisable.

Today, with the drug trade growing, the criminal element harder to
spot and the number of crimes still far from acceptable, it pays to
team up and it pays to have officers trained in a variety of areas. 
The traffic units of today aren't like those of 10 years ago. Officers
understand what they might likely run into when they stop a car and
check a driver's license and registration. They recognize the signs
and they are attuned to what must be done should their suspicions pan
out.  In the long run, these traffic units, while doing their routine
stops, have the potential of catching robbery suspects and drug
dealers, as well as drunk drivers and other traffic violators.  The
potential is certainly there, as proven by the four drug arrests made
this weekend, along with the 116 other charges that were leveled due
to these traffic stops.  While traffic stops are aggravating to
law-abiding citizens, we believe their effectiveness is worth the hassle.

Getting one drug dealer off the streets, removing one gram of cocaine
or marijuana or meth from our community is that much we don't have to
worry about.  And however it is done - through drug stings or traffic
stops - doesn't matter nearly as much as the fact that it gets done.
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