CHIEF DENIES COPS ARE SOFT ON DRUGS

Tullytown police Chief Patrick Priore reacted angrily to media reports that
he is "creating" new ordinances to reduce the penalty for drug offenses.

Concerned about public perception, the Tullytown council agreed at its work
session last night to table for at least two months a vote on whether to
update ordinances dealing with local enforcement of marijuana offenses.

Stung by what council members called media overreaction to the ordinance
clarification, the council said it would take community reaction into
consideration before voting on the issue.

Tullytown police Chief Patrick Priore issued a statement denying that he
and his officers seek to go easy on drug crimes in the borough. "At the
request of my narcotics officers, I was only asking to update two
ordinances that have been on the books for years," Priore said.

The chief said he was angry because he felt the public was being misled
about the purpose of the ordinance change. He said the ordinances he was
referring to were on the books "way before my time.''

"I'm tough on drugs. If a guy is selling drugs in this town, I'm going to
confiscate his car or his house. I'm quite brutal on him," Priore said.

The chief asked the council on Feb. 6 to update two public ordinances - a
1988 Parks and Recreation one and a 1992 health and safety law - outlining
local enforcement of drug offenses. He said narcotics officers in his
department had made the request for the clarification of what they said
were outdated laws.

"It is in my job description as police chief to act on requests made by my
officers," Priore said. "I do not make, add or create new ordinances."

The chief said he was angered by suggestions that he was "allowing use of
drugs" in the borough. He added that a disorderly practices citation is not
automatic.

Priore was applauded by the council and members of the audience who
verbally expressed support for him. Council President Ed Czyzyk said the
borough received eight telephone calls yesterday, six of which expressed
support for the chief's request.

Councilman Al DiGiovanni fought back tears as he praised Priore for his
continuing efforts to rid the town of drug dealers.

"People don't understand what he deals with day after day," DiGiovanni sobbed.

Mayor David Cutchineal said the effort to update the ordinances was "born
of our police department's efforts to be proactive in fighting drugs."

Borough solicitor Kevin Bradway said enforcing the local ordinance actually
might make it tougher to puff pot in Tullytown. He reiterated that the
borough has the right to set penalties for drug violations.

"We're between a rock and a hard place," said Czyzyk. "We'll take the tempo
of the community, discuss the issue with the Tullytown Youth Aid Panel
before we put it on the agenda."