CAREFUL PLANNING WAS BEHIND RAIDS

Local and federal law enforcement officers made scrambled eggs out of
the cocaine business in Alliance and other parts of Stark County late
last week. In a series of coordinated raids, more than 200 law
enforcement officers set out to catch, charge and bring to justice 64
people accused of drug crimes. We hope that this bold strike will
disrupt the cocaine business for some time to come, even as we
realize that no one law enforcement operation will rid us completely
of the crime and misery that come with cocaine.

It is a marvel to think about 15 local police agencies and three arms
of federal law enforcement working together for a year to stage last
week's raids. One of the really difficult tasks in such an operation
is keeping all these agencies together in a spirit of cooperation.
Every police agency wants to take credit for performing outstanding
work. In order to stage a massive drug raid such as last week's,
every agency needs to be willing to share credit.

Credit is deserved all around. We appreciate Alliance Police Chief
Larry Dordea, FBI supervisory agents Van Harp of Cleveland and Mitch
Marrone of Canton, and U.S. Attorney Emily Sweeney for helping to
explain the raid and the kind of cooperation among agencies that
contributed to its success. Now the courts will evaluate the charges,
test the evidence, determine who is guilty and impose the punishment
that is deserved. And law enforcement can resume the painstaking work
that someday will lead up to the next big blow against the drug trade.