Pubdate: Tue, 30 Sep 2003 Source: Maui News, The (HI) Contact: 2003 The Maui News Website: http://www.mauinews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2259 Author: Jerome Kellner Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03/n1469/a05.html Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine) Note: To read about the "ice epidemic" in Hawaii, go to http://www.mapinc.org/areas/Hawaii . POLICE INCAPABLE OF ELIMINATING NEIGHBORHOOD DRUG DEALERS I commend the Kahekili Terrace residents who rallied against drugs and the follow-up demonstration on Kaahumanu Avenue (The Maui News, Sept. 25 and 26). Unfortunately, my experience and that of others show that the chances of any positive change are almost nonexistent. A drug creep rented a house in a neighborhood where I owned a house. I called police with my suspicions he was a drug dealer and I was told that they had in fact just busted him. He was still around months later. When I called police for an update, I learned that he cut a deal by snitching on another drug dealer and avoided jail. Every member of the Maui Police Department should be ashamed at failing to protect and serve the residents of Happy Valley and other law-abiding citizens of Maui. But they only offer lame excuses like "we can't make a bust unless we see the crime being committed" and "there's no money for undercover work." Can't the police work with the Maui County Council to do something? That's laughable. With one or perhaps two notable exceptions, council members are focused on making sure the island's big-money interests are served, not protecting citizens whose lives are wrecked by drug creeps. What else can we expect from a lawmaking body with a member who twice has been convicted of drunken driving? Jerome Kellner Wailuku - --- MAP posted-by: Doc-Hawk