Pubdate: Mon, 31 Oct 2005
Source: Florida Today (Melbourne, FL)
Copyright: 2005 Florida Today
Contact:  http://www.flatoday.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/532
Note: Does not accept out of town LTEs on drug policy
Author: Juan Ortega

TAKE, DON'T MAKE, A STAND

Police Tell Residents To Be Vigilant If Problems Arise In Neighborhood

Irvin Robbins has called police and talked to officers on patrol, but 
he said he still can peer out from behind his window blinds and see 
what he believes are people buying and selling drugs.

The manager of a seven-apartment complex on Bay Avenue said he's sure 
of it: He's found remnants of drugs while cleaning up litter around 
the complex.

"One of them even had crack cocaine in it," said the 66-year-old 
resident, who lives in unincorporated Brevard County near Cocoa. "So 
whoever bought that must have been really high and loose, or 
something, to drop it on the ground."

But for Robbins and many other residents like him, the arrests of 
suspected drug dealers aren't always a simple 9-1-1 call away. Time, 
persistence and a little luck often are needed to complete a drug arrest.

Sometimes, at least one of those factors is missing.

Last year, the Brevard County Sheriff's Office received close to 300 
narcotics complaints, and "it seems to be more every year," said Lt. 
Mike Wong with the sheriff's special-investigations unit.

"I'm sitting here watching football games on Saturdays, and there's 
just a steady stream of cars in and out of the parking lot," Robbins 
said. "People riding up on bicycles, coming up on foot, some guy 
comes riding up on a motor scooter. It's just an open-air market."

The scenario isn't unusual. Wong said investigators acknowledge any 
type of complaint, none goes discarded, and all the things Robbins 
has described doing are vital first steps.

Still, authorities emphasize not getting directly involved.

"Organize yourself, organize a crimewatch and let other neighbors 
know about what's going on. Keep a log of the coming and going of 
people. Take down the tag numbers. (Police are) going to want to know 
specifics and let the people investigate it from there," Assistant 
State Attorney Joe Downing said.

"I'm taking down license plate numbers and calling them in, whether 
it does any good or not. It's all I can do," Robbins said.

Telltale signs of drug houses include all-hours traffic to a house, 
and visitors who stay only a few minutes. But drug houses also may be desolate.

For example, Wong recalls a raid a few years ago in which police 
broke up a "pretty elaborate" marijuana grow house in Indian Harbour Beach.

The neighbor hardly saw anyone at the home, and when people were 
indeed spotted, they were lugging supplies such as plant containers.

"The resident took note," Wong said.

Even if the information doesn't bring immediate results, Wong said, 
it is stored in a data base for possible future use.

Sheriff's deputies in Cape Canaveral try to get closer to the drug 
dealers and the people who watch them by patrolling on bicycles, and 
they've set up a small office in donated space in a small apartment complex.

They know, however, they'll have to stay nimble.

"These transient dealers take advantage of a particular area, create 
havoc, and go elsewhere," Wong said.

Dolores McLaughlin often speaks of taking back the streets. As 
coordinator for Brevard County's Weed and Seed program, she helps 
communities "weed" out the drug dealers and "seed" the neighborhood 
with more desirable enterprises.

"If you want to take control of the streets you live in, you have to 
have the courage to become actively involved," she said.

McLaughlin said residents can call their local police departments and 
learn how to start a neighborhood watch group.

"Secure streets. Drug dealers can't pluck everybody," McLaughlin said.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman