ENFORCEMENT STEP AGAINST CITY'S DRUG PROBLEMS GOING WELL, BUT MUST BE BUILT
ON WITH NEXT STEPS

Step one is going very well. Drugs are a problem in Asheville. They're a
problem in many if not most places across America, and have been for years.

Indeed, how to deal with the problem has been a source of debate for
decades. Tactics have changed over the years, as is to be expected with a
problem that itself changes. Types of drugs, sources of drugs, locations of
drug dealing are mercurial things.

It's a tough challenge. Otherwise, it would have been solved long ago.

There's a new, multi-step approach to the scourge of drugs in Asheville, and
it's off to an encouraging start.

The first step is enforcement, and enforcement is the job of Asheville
Police Chief Bill Hogan.

Last year, on directions from City Council to cut drug crime, Hogan formed a
14-officer drug suppression unit.

One part of the new initiative has officers singling out buildings in public
housing developments to figure out where drug dealers live and where they
peddle their wares.

APD Lt. Tim Splain said, "We have to figure out who the drug dealers are,
how they operate, and what their sphere of influence is. They are operating
a criminal enterprise. We need to learn more about that business so we can
dismantle it."

The results have been a spike in both felony and misdemeanor drug arrests.
More than 300 total arrests have been recorded since the initiative began
Aug. 1, with misdemeanor drug charges per month up 17 percent and felony
arrests per month up a third. Two habitual felons have received sentences.

The reaction by residents of the affected communities speaks for itself.

Carolyn Webber of Deaverview said, "It makes my day when I see them (the
police) out here, with all this junk going on around here. I have no problem
with them being out here as long as they are doing their job and not
harassing people."

The director of the Asheville Housing Authority, Michael Godwin, said,
"Assigning officers to go out and talk to residents is a real positive
effort because community policing is so important."

The results from step one of the Safe Neighborhoods Initiative are
encouraging. While this step isn't over, and realistically may never be,
it's important to build on it. Other steps include expanding community
policing efforts, a summer youth program and an educational tutoring
program.

We look forward to those next steps, which are very crucial indeed. If they
falter, it's back to step one.

That's a step we shouldn't have to take over and over. Our hats are off to
city officials and officers for this new initiative. Our hopes are high that
the next steps will provide more good news.