Pubdate: Tue, 12 Apr 2005
Source: Clarion-Ledger, The (MS)
N01/5 04120307/1008/OPINION
Copyright: 2005 The Clarion-Ledger
Contact:  http://www.clarionledger.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/805

A REAL 'BUST'

Narcotics Bureau Rides Again?

The Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics has long had the reputation of being 
something of a rogue agency in state law enforcement, outside the bounds of 
normal protocols.

It certainly hasn't helped its cause with the embarrassment coming to light 
of MBN searching the homes of two Yazoo County lawmen March 18, based on an 
unsubstantiated tip and leading to a seething Sheriff James Williams.

"The search warrant was bogus. I don't know what they were looking for, and 
it caused the guys a lot of embarrassment," Williams said, predicting: 
"There will be a lot of mistrust with the MBN. They are supposed to be 
helping us, and it seems like they are trying to bust us."

What's surprising is that as one of his first acts, Gov. Haley Barbour 
restructured the bureau under the Department of Public Safety to counter 
its rogue reputation and boost interaction with local law enforcement as 
part of what he envisioned as an overall state crime-fighting effort.

MBN was to be more professional under Barbour's appointees: Public Safety 
Commissioner Rusty Fortenberry and Bureau of Narcotics Director George 
Phillips, who as a former U.S. attorney for south Mississippi should know 
something about properly obtaining warrants and ensuring tips are rock 
solid before acting on them.

It would help the drug "war" if all were on the same side.
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MAP posted-by: Elizabeth Wehrman