RETIRED ST. PAUL COP SURRENDERS HIMSELF IN BIG DRUG BUST

The Former St. Paul Officer Turned Himself In After Minneapolis
Police Seized About 22 Pounds Of Cocaine And 8 Pounds Of Methamphetamine

Retired St. Paul police officer Clemmie H. Tucker turned himself in
to Minneapolis police Wednesday afternoon in a drug case involving $4
million worth of cocaine and methamphetamine.

"There's nothing to compare it to," Capt. Rich Stanek said about the
size of the seizure. "This is one of the largest, if not the
largest," narcotics seizure for Minneapolis police.

Tucker's former colleagues said they were shocked to hear that the
"big brother" figure who preached sobriety, staying away from gang
activity and salvation from the streets through boxing was linked to
30 pounds of drugs.

"This is a very different place than what I would expect Clemmie to
be in," St. Paul Police Chief John Harrington said Wednesday night.
"Things seem to have just gone in a bad direction for him."

Last Friday, police seized a package at the Minneapolis Greyhound bus
depot, 950 Hawthorne Av., that contained 10 kilos, about 22 pounds,
of cocaine and 8 pounds of methamphetamine. Stanek said it is more
typical to seize anywhere from about half a gram to half a kilogram
of cocaine. A kilogram is about 2.2 pounds.The drugs' estimated $4
million street value is conservative, Stanek said.

Security at the bus station in downtown Minneapolis told authorities
that a man attempted to pick up the package but lacked proper
identification, police said. A suspect was identified using a license
plate and description.

Police divulged few details of the case, citing the ongoing
investigation, but said Tucker, 55, turned himself in at 12:30 p.m.
Wednesday. Tucker, who was a Golden Gloves boxing champ as a teen,
has not been charged.

St. Paul police spokesman Pete Crum confirmed that Tucker was a St.
Paul officer for more than 20 years and retired in the late 1990s.

Former colleagues described Tucker as an outgoing, gregarious man who
was enthusiastic about his work. They were careful to point out a
suspect's presumed innocence until proven guilty.

"It hurts," said St. Paul Council Member Dan Bostrom, a retired St.
Paul police sergeant. "It's distressing to all of us. Everybody tends
to get painted with the same brush."

Bostrom said he never had an inkling that Tucker could ever get
involved in something illegal.

Harrington said Tucker worked briefly as a K-9 cop and in property crimes.

"Clem was extremely well-known in the department and a likeable guy,"
said St. Paul Police Federation president Dave Titus.

Off the clock, Tucker was known as a boxing enthusiast and trainer
who ran B.T. Bombers boxing club in St. Paul. Harrington said
graffiti anti-drug and anti-gang messages decorate the exterior.

Tucker trained St. Paul and suburban cops in his gym and helped with
the police academy, said Harrington, who said he knows nothing about
the drug case.

Just as recently as a month ago Tucker was talking about volunteering
to help troubled teens find direction through boxing with the Police
Activities League, the chief said.

Tucker groomed his son as a boxer, but that didn't stop the younger
Tucker from falling into trouble.

Clemmie H. Tucker Jr. pleaded guilty this February to unintentional
second-degree murder in the shooting death of his girlfriend last
summer in Brooklyn Park.

Angelina B. Garley, 27, was shot to death through her car window.

Minneapolis police spokesman Ron Reier said the U.S. attorney's
office is also involved in the narcotics investigation because of the
seizure's large size.

Police said the drugs came from out of state but would not say
whether it was intended for sale in the Twin Cities.

"Drugs fuel our violent crime, so we're happy to get them off the
streets," Stanek said.

Howie Padilla contributed to this report.