Pubdate: Sun, 24 Feb 2013
Source: Times Union (Albany, NY)
Copyright: 2013 Capital Newspapers Division of The Hearst Corporation
Contact: http://www.timesunion.com/forms/emaileditor.asp
Website: http://www.timesunion.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/452
Author: William Aiken

WHERE'S SCRUTINY OF DRUG RAIDS?

To the editor

I see that the Albany Police Department, along with six other law 
enforcement agencies on the federal, state and local level, including 
Homeland Security, participated in another "disenfranchisement 
operation" ("All about 'street violence,'" Feb. 6).

The 11-month investigation netted 31 suspects charged with 226 
counts. All were from the Capital Region. These massive drug 
investigations are executed almost exclusively in poor, minority 
inner-city communities.

But what really caught my ire was Mayor Jerry Jennings' take on this 
raid. On his Friday morning radio program, he commended the Albany 
police and the other law enforcement agencies involved in the raid. 
Then he commented further that he hopes the young people finally get 
the message that drugs won't be tolerated in Albany.

The mayor is well aware these drug investigations have become 
routine. Each time, we hear the same-old, tired message that selling 
drugs won't be tolerated in New York. After numerous such raids in 
Albany, the young people are obviously not getting that message.

What are the results? Fewer drugs in Albany? No.

Why do we keep trying the same approach with the hope that it will 
work? According to Albert Einstein, that's the definition of insanity.

The annual budget to finance these sweeping investigations appears to 
receive a blank check, since their cost to the taxpayers is rarely 
reported. The media don't bother to question the effectiveness or 
analyze the long-term results of these investigations, either. The 
city of Albany could benefit from a little scrutiny.

WILLIAM AIKEN

Member

Law Enforcement Against Prohibition

Schenectady
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom