Pubdate: Fri, 13 Dec 2013 Source: Star-News (Wilmington, NC) Copyright: 2013 Wilmington Morning Star Contact: http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/submit01 Website: http://www.starnewsonline.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/500 Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/corrupt.htm (Corruption - United States) NARCOTICS OFFICER'S ARREST HURTS WHOLE DEPARTMENT As a rule, the public holds law enforcement officers in high regard. Most live up to that standard. But when a cop sullies the uniform by breaking laws he was sworn to uphold, he betrays the people who put their trust in him. The case of former New Hanover County vice and narcotics Lt. Joey LeBlanc is a reminder that police are human and subject to the same demons that tempt the rest of us. He faces 122 charges involving drugs, embezzlement, obtaining property by false pretenses, and altering or destroying evidence. The charges stem from allegations that LeBlanc, who was assistant commander of the vice and narcotics unit, used his position to obtain drugs. In the process, according to investigators, he forged the signatures of an assistant district attorney and Senior Resident Superior Court Judge W. Allen Cobb. In addition, the district attorney has been forced to drop charges against nine defendants because LeBlanc's actions tainted the cases against them. That's a lot of work by officers down the drain. Those are serious accusations, and if convicted he will -- and should - -- spend a long time in prison. His attorney has portrayed LeBlanc as someone whose addiction got the better of him. According to his lawyer, he became addicted to prescription painkillers after an injury at work. His lawyer also said in court Monday that even after LeBlanc's family managed to persuade him to enter a rehabilitation facility, he was returned to his job in the sheriff's vice and narcotics unit, where he had access to the same type of drugs that fueled his original addiction. Sheriff Ed McMahon issued a response on Tuesday saying he had no knowledge that LeBlanc spent time in rehab, and that he denied having sought treatment when asked directly about rumors to that effect a few months before he was fired in June. His termination was the result of failing a random drug test; previous tests had been clean. If he is convicted, LeBlanc's admitted addiction likely will be taken into account -- although it must be noted that many people who reside in our state prisons are there also in large part because of a substance abuse problem. Nevertheless, visiting Superior Court Judge Jack Jenkins showed some compassion toward the deputy, suggesting that if LeBlanc completes a residential rehabilitation he might be inclined to lower the $500,000 bail he set. LeBlanc's arrest has led the sheriff to take another look at the vice unit to prevent the types of transgressions of which the former narcotics officer is accused. More frequent rotations and better checks and balances on evidence gathering are among the latest improvements. But all the changes in the world will not erase the damage that LeBlanc's arrest has done to the reputation of the sheriff's office and the vice unit. By most accounts, LeBlanc was a good law enforcement officer before prescription drugs took over. Which makes his fall that much sadder. But every time a law officer is charged with a crime, the public's faith in an agency entrusted to obey as well as enforce the laws is shaken -- and that is arguably the most tragic outcome of this unfortunate situation. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom