Pubdate: Thu, 27 Jan 2005
Source: Times, The (Shreveport, LA)
Copyright: 2005 The Times
Contact:  http://www.shreveporttimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1019
Author: Vickie Welborn

DRUG TASK FORCE REFOCUSES ITS AREA RESOURCES

Strengthened Effort Already Has Resulted In Half-Dozen Arrests.

A area task force that has had a hand in putting about 675 people in jail 
on drug charges in the past 3 years has retooled its efforts to include 
more manpower and drug-sniffing dogs that should enable it to be even more 
aggressive in ridding neighborhoods of illegal drugs, officials say.

The 675 arrests by Tri-Parish Drug Task Force is just a "guesstimation," 
according to DeSoto sheriff's Lt. Pat Cobbs, who supervises the group 
comprised of DeSoto, Red River and Sabine law enforcement officers.

The effort that resulted in an average of about 225 arrests a year in the 
three parishes was deemed successful by authorities. But the task force 
hopes to do more.

"We're just multitasking our resources," Cobbs said.

"It's going to involve the same people, but we're just taking a different 
approach."

In the past, the task force typically focused on major offenders. That's 
because surveillance, intelligence gathering, search warrants and 
undercover operations often take weeks or months before resulting in 
arrests, according to DeSoto sheriff's Sgt. Horace Womack, a task force member.

But most of the calls and complaints fielded by the participating law 
enforcement agencies stem from street-corner activity involving those who 
use, buy or sell drugs in neighborhoods, he said.

"These are the suspects the public sees and complains about. Oftentimes, 
the local officers are not able to spend a lot of time working these 
complaints due to responding to other calls for service."

By adding the expertise of deputies trained in criminal patrol and highway 
interdiction, the task force will be able to combat the areas from which 
complaints surface, Cobbs said.

Also boosting the redirection of resources is the addition of two full-time 
drug dogs and a part-time drug dog and their handlers. DeSoto sheriff's 
Cpl. Keith Banta and his canine and Red River sheriff's Deputy John Mafouz 
and his canine are assigned to the task force full time. The Sabine 
sheriff's office, which recently acquired a narcotics dog, will make it 
available part time.

The new approach recently was tested in Red River, where three people were 
arrested on various drug charges. Task force agents worked hand in hand 
with Red River sheriff's deputies and Coushatta police on a special detail 
in a community where illegal drug activity has been reported. The effort 
also collared a Coushatta man who was wanted on several outstanding 
warrants, Cobbs said.

Red River Sheriff Johnny Ray Norman is pleased to see the extra attention. 
His small office has relied heavily on the task force since his deputies 
cannot devote their attention solely to drug investigations. But Norman 
assigned Mafouz full time to the task force and likes the results he's 
seen. "Sometime I would feel like (the task force) was not doing as much as 
it could here."

Since then, the task force again zeroed in on Logansport, where ongoing 
complaints netted three arrests and the seizure of 40 rocks of crack 
cocaine, marijuana, prescription medications, electronic scales, packaging 
materials and $351.
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