Pubdate: Sun, 18 Jan 2004 Source: Richmond Times-Dispatch (VA) Copyright: 2004 Richmond Newspapers Inc. Contact: http://www.timesdispatch.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/365 Author: Joe Dombroski Note: Joe Dombroski, a Richmond-area enforcement supervisor for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, is a 2003 Commentary Columnist. THERE IS CAUSE FOR OPTIMISM IN LESS DRUG USE, OTHER AREAS Wrapping up a year's work as a 2003 Commentary Columnist, I'd like to comment on several topics: Violence: The murder rate climbed in most jurisdictions in the Richmond area last year. As many so-called experts offer their analysis of why this is occurring and the news media sound a frenzied alarm, let's stop and take a deep breath. Yes, there has been a rise in murders this year, but put the in-crease in historical perspective. Seven years ago area murders were almost double what they were in 2003. Violence, like the ups and downs of the economy and other events of history, is cyclical. Different factors affect these increases in violence, but one constant has remained in the violence equation since the early 1970s - illegal drugs. According to nationwide law-enforcement statistics, 70 percent to 80 percent of violent crime is drug-related or has a drug nexus. We are talking about crimes such as a spouse who is high on drugs assaulting a husband or wife in a simple dispute, or a triple murder for the purpose of stealing drugs and money from a rival drug dealer. These crimes happen even with aggressive policing. Law enforcement is not built to solve every family's social problems. That is why we need strong parents, family members, and adult mentors to be educated about illegal drugs. Intervention Is Crucial Well-informed people who care must intervene to prevent a loved one from ever reaching the level of being unable to control his or her behavior. Violence, stock-market ups and downs, terrorism, totalitarianism, and despotism are going to occur throughout our lifetimes, but as responsible adults, our goal is to meet the challenge and fight to protect our families through education and caring. The drug war: As I have stated in previous Commentary pieces, the phrase "drug war" is a misnomer. The fight against illegal drugs is a "police action." A declared war would involve large numbers of U.S. troops, pitched battles in drug-producing countries, eliminating international drug-lords such as international terrorists, and so on. Instead, local, state, and federal law-enforcement officers fight every hour of every day within the framework of our criminal law. The "rules of war" are much different from the "rule of law." From the street-corner crack dealer to international drug cartels, arrests happen every day. Are we making any progress? Simply stated: yes. The latest national surveys show that the use of hard drugs among teens is down. Additionally "the war on terrorism" is not only highly effective against terrorists, but it is also benefitting drug-law enforcement world-wide. International money launderers and drug-trafficking organizations that are involved with terrorist groups are being exposed, investigated, and dismantled. Some Big Battles Won Law-enforcement agencies around the world are now winning big battles, and this will reap benefits for us on the streets of U.S. cities in the not-so-distant future. These developments, combined with the continued education of parents and children about illegal drugs, will help the next generation win more battles against the scourge of illegal drugs. Local, state, and federal law-enforcement efforts: The citizens of Central Virginia should rest assured that area law enforcement at all levels works closely together to combat illegal drug trafficking and its related violence. In 25 years of law enforcement that literally spans the globe, I have never worked in an area where law-enforcement agencies share information and assist each other in all types of criminal investigations as is done in this region. We see no turf battles and no inter-agency investigations dominated by egos or the pursuit of media attention for credit. What exists in the Central Virginia law-enforcement community is professionalism and teamwork. The philosophy of team policing is the only effective way to attack the criminal element. A recent example that illustrates how well team policing works in our area is the D.C. area sniper case. Contrary to the assertions and writings of a former Maryland police chief, the local, state, and federal law-enforcement officials who worked that investigation in Central Virginia all know that the big break in identifying the suspects in that horrible series of crimes happened right in little old Ashland, Virginia. Yes, through some very long hours of outstanding team police work by local, state, and federal officers, the case broke open here, and within 48 hours both suspects were arrested in a Maryland rest-stop by state troopers. Once area law enforcement was thrust into the case and Central Virginia law-enforcement executives pooled their resources as a team, the case was solved and the killings stopped. Maryland authorities had been working separately on the case for weeks with few results. The Central Virginia style of teamwork protects the public, makes good sense, and happens daily in our area. Thank you: In this last Commentary piece in the year-long series, I want to recognize several individuals who supported and assisted in this endeavor. First, I would like to thank the Editorial Pages department for the opportunity of a lifetime. Very few law-enforcement officers get the chance to provide information to the public, especially directly to parents on a large scale. Next, a big thank-you goes to my wife Jo Ann and my eldest son Joseph, who spent many hours of their time editing, helping with rewrites, and inspiring plain-spoken ideas for these articles. They cared about the message we wanted to send to area families. Last, I want to thank the readers and the people who took the time to call and write to share their opinions - - pro or con - on the drug problem in our region. It is good to have discussion and disagreement. I feel as General George Patton stated, "If everybody is thinking alike, nobody is thinking." Problems can be solved only by people willing to debate their thoughts and take action. So I thank everyone who showed an interest in my articles during the past year. Joe Dombroski, a Richmond-area enforcement supervisor for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, is a 2003 Commentary Columnist. - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin