Pubdate: Sun, 20 Jul 2008 Source: Tribune Review (Pittsburgh, PA) Copyright: 2008 Tribune-Review Publishing Co. Contact: http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/460 Author: Jill Watkins Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v08/n671/a03.html?1169 DRUGS, WAR AND THE DEA In Bill Steigerwald's column criticizing the war on drugs and not wishing the Drug Enforcement Administration a happy 35th birthday ("35 years of drug war failure," July 13 and PghTrib.com), the third from the last paragraph is the only set of words with some truth -- "... it is unfair to dump on the DEA." To judge the impact of the DEA, one needs to look no further than our own backyard. In the past eight years, the DEA with state and local agencies have been able to dismantle some of the largest criminal enterprises in the history of Western Pennsylvania. For example, from 2000 through 2003, the DEA and cooperating agencies were successful in shutting down a drug-trafficking organization that put millions of dollars of cocaine and heroin on the streets of our region daily. More recently, when fentanyl-laced heroin was killing drug users throughout the area, it was the intense and immediate efforts of the Pittsburgh Police and the DEA, with the help of other agencies, that quickly led to those responsible. Through and because of the federal system, these local traffickers in death as well as their out-of-state suppliers were arrested and all were subsequently convicted. These individuals along with the hundreds of others who chose to place dangerous and life-ruining drugs into the hands of our family, friends and neighbors are paying their just debt to society. A law enforcement agency's primary mission is to enforce laws. Policy is left to the politicians. Jill Watkins North Side - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin