Pubdate: Sun, 13 Nov 2005
Source: Vindicator, The (Youngstown, OH)
Copyright: 2005 The Vindicator
Contact:  http://www.vindy.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3298
Author: Laure Cioffi

CITY'S CRACKDOWN ON DRUGS PAYING OFF

A White House Official Is Expected To Attend A Drug Summit Here In January

NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Louise Masters knew there was a problem when her 
new neighbors were getting visitors at all hours of the day and night.

"The traffic was unbelievable. Cars were stopping in the middle of 
the street. There had to be five or six cars there all the time," 
said Masters, who lives on West Madison Avenue in the Mahoningtown 
section of the city.

So when she saw Mayor Wayne Alexander advertising a hot line for city 
residents to call about drug activity, she started dialing.

"I called every time I saw something happening. Some days I'd call 
just so they wouldn't forget about me," Masters said.

Eventually it paid off and the landlord removed the tenants after 
city officials alerted him to the increased traffic and concerns of 
the neighbors.

That's just one tact the city has taken in its fight against drugs, 
said Mayor Alexander.

In addition to getting landlords to evict suspected drug dealers, 
city code enforcement and police officers have been shutting down 
flop houses where drug users, prostitutes and dealers congregate in 
the city, he said.

According to Alexander, about 10 have been closed in the past year. 
They will eventually be torn down.

Presence Known

The houses dot all neighborhoods in the city with boarded up windows 
and doors bearing fluorescent spray paint with the initials N.C.P.D. 
and a smiley face.

"After our narcotics guys boarded up the first house, we decided we 
wanted people to know that the police mean business. They got the 
spray paint and had to ad lib a little bit and they put a smiley face 
on one of them. People come out and applaud us when we do it," Police 
Chief Tom Sansone said.

Alexander said he believes the increased vigilance of the city has 
helped decrease drug activity and other crime.

"We feel that 80 percent of the criminal activity in this town is 
related to drugs. Everything from robbery to house break-ins and 
prostitution. We are seeing our numbers go down with these 
incidents," Alexander said.

Alexander vowed to eradicate drugs when he took office two years ago, 
and with the help of city police, state police, the Pennsylvania 
attorney general's office, U.S. Marshals Service and the U.S. Drug 
Enforcement Agency, city drug arrests have doubled over past years. 
Alexander said he expects this year's drug arrests to triple.

The police department has averaged slightly more than 100 drug 
arrests each year since 2001, according to police department records. 
But in 2004, the number of arrests jumped to 201 and this year there 
have already been more than 200 drug arrests, according to police records.

Unannounced saturation patrols in high drug and crime areas have put 
a big dent in the drug activity, the mayor said.

New Equipment

And the city has been going after grants to pay for new tools to help police.

With a $247,000 federal grant secured by U.S. Rep. Melissa Hart of 
Bradford Woods, R-4th, the city bought an $82,000 firearms training 
simulator, which is one of only 10 in the country. The simulator 
allows police to train with a wireless Glock pistol through different 
video scenarios, as well as use it for regular target practice.

The grant also paid for new radios for all 35 officers that will 
allow them to use them to and from work, keeping more eyes and ears 
in the city, Sansone said. Previously officers had to share 10 radios.

The city has also ordered its own crime scene van and an automated 
finger-print unit that will automatically identify people through a 
national databank.

Alexander said the city is waiting on word from U.S. Sen. Rick 
Santorum about a second $300,000-plus technology grant through the 
Senate appropriations committee.

According to Alexander, the city plans to share some of its equipment 
with outlying communities, particularly the firearms simulator.

The mayor said they realize when drug dealers and users leave the 
city, they usually end up in a nearby township.

"They are feeling the residual effects of what we are doing. They are 
seeing more drug activity and crime," he said.

Drug Summit

Alexander said the city is planning a drug summit in January to talk 
about its accomplishments and see what else can be done. Mary Ann 
Solberg, deputy director of National Drug Control Policy for 
President Bush is expected to attend.

Alexander said the public is invited to attend the summit Jan. 12 at 
the New Castle Senior High School. In addition to Solberg, there will 
be DEA agents, U.S. Marshals and others on hand to talk about 
combating drugs and how New Castle has been successful.

"I don't know of any city our size that has made more arrests and 
made a dent in drugs," Alexander said. "We are not tolerant of drugs 
at all. We want a drug-free community."
- ---
MAP posted-by: Beth