Pubdate: Fri, 23 Sep 2005
Source: Island Packet (SC)
Copyright: 2005, The Island Packet
Contact:  http://www.islandpacket.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1514
Author: Ben Crites, The Island Packet

POLICE INQUIRY DEEPENS

More Drug Cases Getting Reviewed

The Beaufort County solicitor investigating whether Bluffton police 
officers interfered in a Sheriff's Office drug investigation 
broadened his inquiry this week.

Deputy Solicitor Duffie Stone said Thursday he is examining Bluffton 
Police Department practices on every active narcotics case, a process 
he said could wrap up as soon as the middle of next week.

Stone requested the case files from interim Chief Alex Ferguson on 
Wednesday and received them Thursday. He did not know the exact 
number of cases he will be reviewing.

He said he'll inspect department procedures, case analyses, seizures 
and civil forfeitures and evaluate what probable cause officers cited 
when making stops during drug investigations.

Stone said he expects this analysis will be the last step in 
determining whether any Bluffton police officers obstructed justice 
when an attempted controlled drug buy was foiled on Aug. 16. He has 
been investigating the incident since Aug. 18.

"I'm reviewing everything (when it comes to the files)," Stone said.

He said he has examined the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office report 
on its investigation into the incident, but it is only part of his inquiry.

Ferguson also will conduct an internal investigation on the matter. 
It is one of three internal investigations pending for the 
department, town manager Josh Martin has said.

At around 2:45 p.m. on Aug. 16, the Beaufort County Drug Task Force 
was conducting a controlled drug purchase on Goethe Road when 
Bluffton police Det. Darryl Jackson pulled over the informant. 
According to the investigative report, the task force made a courtesy 
call to Bluffton police at 2:30 p.m. to tell them they would be 
working there, and Jackson answered that call.

In an interview with investigators on Aug. 22, John Brown, who then 
was police chief, told investigators he sent Jackson to the area to 
find out if anything was going on and see if help was needed, the 
report states.

According to the report, Jackson said Brown did not send him there. 
He told investigators he was following another officer who was 
picking up a criminal domestic violence victim to take to court and 
simply stopped a vehicle that nosed out on Goethe Road and nearly 
struck Webber's cruiser.

The vehicle was driven by the confidential informant.

Sheriff P.J. Tanner said last week that Bluffton police were sent to 
intentionally disrupt a controlled drug purchase. He said he thinks 
Brown was concerned about turf protection.

Brown has said his officer did not know he was conducting a traffic 
stop on a confidential informant. He denied intentionally 
interrupting the drug investigation, according to the report.

Calls made to Brown and Martin were not returned Thursday night.
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