Pubdate: Sat, 19 Nov 2005 Source: Herald-Sun, The (Durham, NC) Copyright: 2005 The Herald-Sun Contact: http://www.herald-sun.com Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1428 Author: Ray Gronberg DRUG EVICTION EFFORTS GET PUSH DURHAM -- Elected officials are urging Durham's Partners Against Crime groups to expand their attempts to get people accused of drug dealing evicted from rental units. The effort, which involves civil-court proceedings and pressure on landlords, is being pioneered by the PAC movement's District 2. During a meeting Friday of the Durham Crime Cabinet, officials said the city's other four PAC districts should get involved. "It's exciting that PAC 2 is taking some ownership of this issue and looking for a solution," said County Commissioner Ellen Reckhow, who co-chairs the intergovernmental crime cabinet with City Councilman Howard Clement. Clement was just as enthusiastic. "I'd like the other PACs to share in this model," he said. The encouraging words from Reckhow and Clement came after District 2 leaders Richard Mullinax and Ken Gasch briefed officials on what their group has been up to over the past couple of months. In that time, District 2 activists have followed up on nine Police Department drug raids by checking whether the people arrested rented or owned the targeted homes. Seven of the raids targeted rentals, and each time the group contacted the home's landlord to encourage an eviction. The group contends that landlords and the community have the right to expect tenants to honor leases that bar illegal drugs. Tenants got the boot in five of the cases, and are on their way out in the other two, according to a report Mullinax and Gasch presented to the group. District 2 leaders say the use of civil eviction proceedings -- which don't require the same burden of proof as a criminal case -- is a faster way of closing down drug houses. "The nine [cases] here are the serious dealers in the community," Mullinax said. "PAC 2 is not going to wait on a criminal conviction. There's no reason to wait on a criminal conviction to bring evidence to a judge for summary eviction." The effort has, however, sparked dissent from some members of the District 2 e-mail list precisely because it doesn't require the same burden of proof as a criminal case. It also drew criticism Friday from Victoria Peterson, a local activist and unsuccessful City Council candidate who attends crime cabinet meetings. "This community and country is losing the war on drugs," she said. "I'd rather see [police] officers deal with the murderers in the community. They're not going to go to Duke [University] and deal with kids there selling it and smoking it; they're going to beat up on poor black folks." But a crime cabinet member, the Rev. Melvin Whitley, said pressure on landlords is appropriate. In PAC District 1, which covers North-East Central Durham, drug dealers and property managers in some cases have established working relationships, he said. Every four to five months, when police pressure gets too hot, the dealers will move from one unit to another controlled by the same landlord. "I applaud PAC 2 for what they're doing," Whitley added. - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin