Pubdate: Wed, 17 Sep 2003
Source: Tennessean, The (TN)
Copyright: 2003 The Tennessean
Contact:  http://www.tennessean.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/447

GIVE POLICE THE RESOURCES

An Effective Recent Crackdown On Drugs By Metro Police Is A Reminder Of Two 
Important Principles.

One is that pooling available resources and emphasizing cooperation between 
divisions on the force can produce meaningful results. The other is that 
police need adequate resources to do their jobs.

When police saw a spate of shootings erupt in the heat of the summer, 
acting Chief Deborah Faulkner formed a departmental task force with people 
from several divisions. The idea was to put out a full-force blitz on 
street-level drug deals and stamp out the violence that often comes with 
them. Since Faulkner launched that task force, most of the shootings 
stopped. As of early this week, it had been more than a month since the 
city has had a drug-related killing.

The arrests, gun seizures and confiscation of cocaine and marijuana proved 
that the creation of a very visible presence is a deterrent to drug 
dealers. Metro's own undercover police officers reported difficulty finding 
drug deals. They heard bad guys talking about how effective the crackdown 
had been. Dealers were complaining, "Man, it's too hot. Vice is out here."

That's the good part. But as successful as the crackdown became, it also 
came with the reality that a concentration of police on one front often 
creates a weakness elsewhere. It takes away from other areas of 
enforcement, such as burglary and theft.

The smart convergence of personnel and strategy paid off. But such good 
police work comes at a price. The city should consider such conditions when 
faced with decisions on providing law enforcement with the resources it 
needs. Taxpayers often want proof that if they provide resources - whether 
it be officers, cop cars or computers - that there will be positive 
results. Recent events suggest there will be positive results. The 
resources to make that happen are essential.
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