Pubdate: Tue, 05 Dec 2006
Source: Herald, The (SC)
Copyright: 2006 The Herald
Contact:  http://www.heraldonline.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/369
Author: Charles D. Perry

CHESTER COUNTY AUTHORITIES DIVIDED ON BEST APPROACH TO  COOPERATIVELY
FIGHT DRUGS

CHESTER -- Police in Chester County Realize That Interagency 
Cooperation Is Essential to Fighting Drugs.

But some agency heads disagree about how they should  get along.

In the coming weeks, Sheriff Robby Benson says he'll  send proposals 
to the police chiefs in Fort Lawn and  Great Falls, asking them to 
allow their officers to  work together as a drug unit with his agency.

Benson has had the same agreement with the Chester  Police Department 
since 2003. Essentially, Benson says,  the agreement means officers 
from Great Falls and Fort  Lawn can work on cases outside of their 
towns as part  of the drug unit. The chiefs and the sheriff would 
decide who heads the unit, and the agencies would  divide the seized assets.

But Fort Lawn Police Chief Richard Smith and Great  Falls Police 
Chief Mike Revels want the county to form  a multijurisdictional drug 
task force, similar to the  one in York County.

The key difference between Benson's plan and York  County's task 
force is that the task force is run  through the solicitor's office.

"It's a good program," said Smith, who unsuccessfully  ran for 
sheriff against Benson in 2004. "Why wouldn't  you do it like this? 
Obviously, it's working."

But Benson says such a task force isn't feasible.

"There's no way we can do one like York County," Benson  said. "York 
County has the solicitor's office involved  with it. They just have 
more funding and more people  they can work with."

Smith says the benefits of a task force are obvious. He  said more 
needs to be done to fight drugs in the  county.

Nearly six months ago, Bill Murphy started working drug  cases in 
Fort Lawn. A seasoned narcotics officer with  10 years of drug 
enforcement experience, Murphy has  helped make 15 arrests and opened 
multiple investigations since he's been in Fort Lawn.

When he started the Fort Lawn job, Murphy said, dealers  weren't 
feeling much heat from police.

"I'd say that there was a comfort level among the  dealers that I've 
seen so far because of the lack of  aggressive enforcement that's 
available," he said.

The city of Chester has a full-time drug officer and  soon will get 
another. The Chester County Sheriff's  Office has a two-man drug unit 
that works together with  the city officer. Great Falls has a drug 
dog but no  narcotics officers. Fort Lawn has Murphy, whose time 
is  split between drug investigations and other police  duties.

Murphy and Smith say the other drug officers do a great  job but more 
manpower is needed.

"I don't think six people would be enough," Smith said.  "But it's 
better than two."

Benson also takes issue with the idea that Chester  County is a safe 
haven for drug dealers. In the last  six months, he says, his agency 
has made some  significant drug arrests.

"This is not your typical street buys," Benson said.  "These are major cases."

Revels said many dealers that bring drugs to Great  Falls live just 
outside his agency's jurisdiction. A  task force would allow his 
agency to eliminate those  problems.

"We need to put up a united front to be more  successful," he said.

Revels could not be reached late Monday for comment on  Benson's plan.

But Benson says his agreement would be sufficient. A  task force, he 
said, would mean getting full-time  narcotics workers, something 
agencies such as Fort Lawn  can't provide.

"They've got a person that can work eight hours a week.  That's it," 
Benson said. "We deal with federal agencies  -- FBI, ATF -- on these 
drug charges. We're looking for  an agency that can produce full-time 
narcotics people."

Smith says if his agency provides an officer one day a  week, that's 
better than none at all. And Murphy said  the town council might be 
willing to pay for a  full-time narcotics officer on a task force if 
the  financial benefits can be shown.

All of the county's chiefs and the sheriff have  discussed the issue. 
They've watched a presentation by  York County's drug task force. 
Ideas have been shared  but nothing has been done.

Which is why, despite the different opinions, the one  thing is 
everyone agrees is that something needs to  happen.
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MAP posted-by: Elaine