Pubdate: Fri, 14 Dec 2001 Source: Age, The (Australia) Copyright: 2001 The Age Company Ltd Contact: http://www.theage.com.au/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/5 POLICE WANT TO RETAIN DRUG SQUAD EXPERTISE: NIXON MELBOURNE - Victorian Police remained committed to ridding the state of its drugs scourge despite axing its drug squad unit, Chief Commissioner Christine Nixon said today. A four-month independent review, ordered by Ms Nixon, recommended the squad be disbanded after a raft of corruption allegations were made against it. A reformed unit, called the major drug squad investigation division, will take its place. A new command team will take control early next year. Ms Nixon said she hoped to retain the strong criminal investigation skills of members of the defunct drug squad. "We'd be looking to try and retain a balance of expertise. We are moving in, in terms of the senior management, people who have strong expertise in criminal investigation and we hope not to lose that capacity," she told radio 3AW. "I think drug law enforcement is a major issue for us in Victoria, and one which we are very much going to focus on ... because it's just a scourge and we need to do the best we can to get rid of these demons." Ms Nixon also said sting operations, which involved selling chemicals used in amphetamine production to dealers, had been suspended. "At this stage, we've ceased that operation because it has in fact been proven to be ... high risk in terms of corruption," Ms Nixon said. "It is a good strategy, but if you were to ask other states - South Australia, NSW and Tasmania - (they) only use that as a minimal strategy. "What we need to be looking at is what other strategies are available, perhaps what other reforms might be necessary to be able to allow us to go after the high-level drug dealing." - --- MAP posted-by: Beth