Pubdate: Wed, 17 Feb 2010
Source: Albany Herald, The (GA)
Copyright: 2010 The Albany Herald Publishing Company, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.albanyherald.net/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1747
Author: Howard Wooldridge

DRUG FIGHT WASTE OF TAXPAYERS' MONEY

My colleague Sheriff Rachals "hopes the 25-year sentence for Russell 
Jenkins will send a message" demonstrates how hopelessly naive he is 
about drug dealers. During my 18 years of working the trenches of the 
drug war, I learned that drug dealers accept, as a condition of 
employment, death and long prison terms. Dealer Jenkins has already 
been replaced as a low-level dealer (90 grams is like two candy bars 
worth of cocaine). The real victim is the Georgia taxpayer, who will 
spend at least $600,000 to lock him up.

That my profession must enforce this modern prohibition is 
regrettable and a horrific waste of good police time. To have a 
sheriff who is unaware of the dynamics of those involved in the drug 
trade is scary.

Howard Woolwridge, Washington, D.C.
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