Pubdate: Thu, 18 Sep 2003 Source: Sentinel And Enterprise, The (MA) Copyright: 2003 MediaNews Group, Inc. and Mid-States Newspapers, Inc. Contact: http://sentinelandenterprise.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2498 Author: Evan Lehmann CRONIN TOUTS DRUG ARREST RECORD AT MAYOR'S CONFERENCE FITCHBURG -- The Police Department has arrested more drug dealers, raided more homes and seized more heroin, cocaine and marijuana this year than last, Police Chief Edward Cronin said Tuesday. "We don't want drug dealers here. We don't want them to live here. Leave," Cronin said, using Mayor Dan H. Mylott's press conference as a pulpit to order dealers out of town. The Police Department -- working in conjunction with the regional North Worcester County Drug Task Force, an amalgamation of about 10 law enforcement agencies -- executed 63 search warrants so far this year. That number, as well as the number of arrests and the amount of drugs seized, represents the total for the region, not just Fitchburg. Last year in Fitchburg, specifically, the department alone executed 19 search warrants. "We have to stop looking at it as a city issue," Cronin said. "It's a regional issue." Cronin said 1,296 grams of cocaine, 178 grams of heroin and 10 pounds of marijuana have been seized so far this year by the regional task force. "I think the figures are stark, and speak for themselves," he said, noting 121 drug arrests have been made by the regional task force this year. But Cronin said his concern over drugs has not lessened. "The main concern for me is heroin," he said, calling it the "most lethal" drug in Fitchburg. Mylott, reinforcing his long-standing campaign promise to reduce crime and drugs in the city, said, "We're going to continue to make this a top priority in this administration." On a separate issue, Mylott denounced mayoral candidate Bernard Landry's accusation this week that police officers were targeting his street, Atlantic Avenue, for parking tickets in response to his public criticism of the Police Department. Mylott said he investigated Landry's allegations and said his findings showed the claim "was just wrong. Just wrong." Landry and other residents along the street contended police patrols began after an article was published in which Landry specifically criticized Cronin for not doing enough to thwart the city's drug problem. Parking tickets, Landry said, were issued to only some illegally parked cars. "I want to be very clear the allegation of there being a conspiracy .. is just not true," Mylott said. Mylott said the patrols of Atlantic Avenue "coincide directly" with the opening of St. Bernard's High School, an event that can result in an increase of illegally parked cars in the area. As a response, police have enforced parking regulations in the area for the past three years, Mylott said. A printout of tickets issued between Sept. 2 and Sept. 10 show that six parking tickets were issued on Atlantic Avenue, one on Maverick and Tilton streets, one on Boutelle Street, five on Goodrich Street and five on Harrison Avenue. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake