KSP HEARS RESIDENTS' CRIME CONCERNS

1st In Series Of Forums In Carter County Area

OLIVE HILL - Kentucky State Police heard an earful Monday from people
concerned about crime in Carter County.

About 25 residents - many of whom said they'd been crime victims - attended
a public forum at West Carter High School sponsored by the KSP's Ashland post.

The meeting was the first in what post commander Capt. John Lambert said
would be a series of programs to discuss crime in communities throughout
the Ashland post district, which also includes the counties of Boyd,
Greenup and Lawrence.

Lambert pulled no punches in explaining why Carter County - the western end
in particular - was chosen as the site for the initial meeting.

"This part of the county causes us a great deal of problems," he said.

Also, troopers responded to more calls in Carter County last year than in
any other county in the post district, said Trooper Gary Kistner, spokesman
for the Ashland post.

Carter County logged 4,870 complaints in 2001, Kistner said. Boyd was
second with 3,579.

Carter was also at or near the top in several categories of incidents,
including burglaries, thefts and domestic disturbances, Kistner said.

Because of those numbers, Carter County "has been stereotyped as not so
nice a place, and I'd like to change that," Lambert said.

Lambert said the main purposes of Monday's meeting were to provide citizens
with a forum to air their concerns and to foster cooperation between
residents and the KSP.

"It's a two-way street," he said. "We need help. We can't be everywhere at
every minute of the day. You live in the community. You hear rumors."

Marcel Stinnett, of the Grayson area, wanted to know why the KSP hadn't
done more to recover guns that were stolen from his residence in a pair of
burglaries.

"Why weren't (troopers) out there hitting flea markets and taking down
serial numbers?" he asked

Lt. Tim Hogg, criminal investigations commander at the Ashland post,
acknowledged that KSP had not policed flea markets as closely as it should
have. But he said the agency intended to start doing more of that.

He also urged Stinnett and others in the audience to alert the KSP when
they know of people who accept stolen goods in exchange for drugs.

"You know the people in the community who buy this stuff for dope," he said.

One man, who didn't want to give his name, asked why the KSP hadn't done
more to rid the county of drug dealers. He said he had reported them, but
none had ever been arrested.

He said he knew of one dealer who was as open about his illegal activities
``as a kid selling lemonade."

Hogg promised the man he'd arrest the dealer if the man could provide him
with detailed information about his activities.

"I'll go you one better than that," the man responded. "I'll show you where
he lives."

Lambert said that was well and good, but: "We can't just go into his house
and drag him out."

One of the reasons people become frustrated with what they perceive as
police inaction is that they aren't aware of the many laws officers are
bound by, said Detective Paul Cales.

"It's not like on TV," he said. ``It's a lot tougher."

West Carter High School Principal Jim Webb said he was concerned that the
KSP did not seem to have enough troopers working in Carter County to
adequately protect it.

"Carter County's one of the larger counties in the state in terms of square
miles, and you've got two troopers on duty here at night?" he said. ``If
you guys are not there, there's nobody there for us."

However, Lambert said the KSP can always call in troopers assigned to other
counties if the need arises.

"The county line is non-existent to us," he said.

Hogg said many people are reluctant to report criminal activity they
witness in their neighborhoods, either because they don't want to get
involved or because they fear reprisal from those committing the crimes.
But, by taking a strong stand against crime, residents can help the KSP
make Carter County a safer place, he said.

"Ninety-five percent of the people in any county are good people," he said.
"If you all will stand together, the 5 percent causing all the problems
doesn't have a chance."