Pubdate: Sat, 26 Jan 2008 Source: Argus, The (Fremont, CA) Copyright: 2008 ANG Newspapers Contact: http://www.insidebayarea.com/argus/writealetter Website: http://www.insidebayarea.com/argus/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1642 Author: Kristin Bender, Staff Writer BERKELEY COUNCIL TO REVIEW POLICE DRUG PROCEDURE REPORT Evidence Of Theft By Cop Prompts Commission Suggestions For Handling Substances BERKELEY -- Two years after police discovered the biggest drug scandal in the department's history, the City Council on Tuesday will consider adopting more than a dozen recommendations for storing, handling and auditing seized drugs and money. Last October, the city's Police Review Commission found that systems for tracking drug evidence were inadequate to prevent or catch the theft of narcotics from the police department's evidence locker, according to a detailed and lengthy report. The report also found that the department's probe into a former sergeant's drug thefts was insufficient. Since then, Berkeley police Chief Douglas Hambleton has responded to the PRC's seven main findings and the 27 recommendations, concurring with 25 of the recommendations. Some of the recommendations have been implemented while others are slated to be in place by June, Hambleton said. In January 2006, police discovered that then-Sgt. Cary Kent had tampered with and stolen drugs from 286 evidence envelopes. Police and the Alameda County District Attorney's Office conducted a joint investigation and in April 2006, Kent pleaded guilty to one count of grand theft by embezzlement and one count each of possessing heroin and methamphetamine. He was sentenced to spend a year in an electronic home detention program and sent to a drug treatment program. Kent, who had retired a month before, also was sentenced to five years probation. In its report, the PRC asked that the department disclose the exact amount of drugs that was stolen by Kent to prevent such theft in the future. Hambleton said the 286 envelopes that Kent tampered with contained: - -Methamphetamine (powder and crystal): 1.6 pounds - -Cocaine (rock and powder): 1.5 ounces - -Heroin (tar, powder and liquid) 9 ounces, plus 700 cc of liquid -- about seven full syringes) - -Marijuana: 5 pounds - -Hashish: 1 ounce - -Pills: 235 Vicodin, Ecstasy, Oxycontin, Tylenol/Codeine and Fentanyl. Hambleton, however, said in a memo he doesn't believe Kent stole all those drugs. But, except for the marijuana, there was a consensus among police informants, outside narcotic investigators and a medical drug treatment expert that the amounts are consistent with what a light to moderate user would consume within a one year period, Hambleton said in the memo. He also said that due to the costs and limited resources at the crime lab a "relatively small number of envelopes" were tested in order to secure sufficient evidence for prosecution. "Police staff does not believe that the contents were removed from all of the suspicious envelopes. Since the contents of the envelopes could have been tampered with and cut or mixed with other substances, even a lab analysis at this time could not establish the exact amount of drugs that (were) missing," he said in a report that will be considered by the council on Tuesday. Hambleton said reopening the probe and using a crime lab to conduct further tests could cost as much as $20,000. It is not known for how long Kent was stealing drugs. Problems were noticed by others in the department as early as January 2005. Leading up to the council's consideration of the report, Berkeley Copwatch is holding a rally today from noon to 2 p.m. at 1730 Oregon Street to boost community awareness about the drug thefts, the report's findings and the department's response. The event will include speeches from Berkeley City Councilmember Kriss Worthington, former Police Review Commissioners Osha Neumann and James Chanin, Copwatch member Andrea Prichett and others. It is co-sponsored by Copwatch and Disabled People Outside Project. - --- MAP posted-by: Steve Heath