Copyright: 2003 Hearst Communications Inc.
Contact: letters@sfchronicle.com
Website: http://www.sfgate.com/chronicle/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/388
Author: Henry K. Lee, Chronicle Staff Writer
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/corrupt.htm (Corruption - United States)

ALAMEDA COP HIT WITH DRUG CHARGES

Narcotics Officer Allegedly Took Meth From Evidence Area

An Alameda narcotics officer who resigned this month has been charged with
felony possession of methamphetamine following allegations that he removed
drugs from a police evidence locker, authorities said Saturday.

Edward Jaime, 39, an eight-year veteran, was charged in Alameda County
Superior Court on Friday, two weeks after he resigned from the department
as an investigation was under way.

Jaime, a narcotics officer for three years, returned about 94 grams of
powdered methamphetamine to an Alameda police evidence locker on Oct. 13, a
day after he overheard police officials discussing a planned audit of drugs
in the department's possession, authorities said.

About three-quarters of a gram were missing when Jaime, one of three
officers with access to the locker, returned the bags of drugs, police said.

The incident has shocked many in the 104-member department on an island
city of 75,000 that is known for its relatively low crime rate and
small-town atmosphere.

"It's a tragic event," Alameda police Lt. Jim Brock said Saturday. "Police
officers should be held to a higher standard. We do not expect police
officers to be violating the law. When someone breaks the law and crosses
the line, we are swift in our approach to dealing with it."

Alameda Mayor Beverly Johnson said Saturday, "It's very unfortunate, but
police officers are people, and so there's always a possibility of
something like this happening. I'm really pleased that Alameda PD has
procedures in place to catch these things quickly and deal with them."

Jaime's attorney, Todd Simonson of Pleasant Hill, declined comment
Saturday. Jaime was not arrested but was given a notice to appear in court.

Jaime told police that he never used the methamphetamine, saying it had
been in his possession for about two weeks. The officer claimed he only put
some of the drug on his tongue to taste it and that some of it had spilled
onto his computer terminal at work, Brock said.

But for at least two months beforehand, Jaime's superiors had noticed that
the officer lost a large amount of weight, was late to work and at times
appeared exhausted while on duty, Brock said.

While being confronted on Oct. 13 by police, Jaime, a former East Palo Alto
police officer, fell asleep on a chair, investigators said. He told his
superiors that he had undergone a lot of stress due to financial troubles
and caring for his seven children, authorities said.

Alameda police searched Jaime's car, home and garage in Salida (Stanislaus
County) but did not uncover any drugs, police said. A search of the
officer's work space and police station locker also yielded no drugs, Brock
said.

"In our criminal investigation we were unable to substantiate where the
narcotics was," Brock said. "We do know where it was not supposed to be by
law. "

There is no evidence that any of the drugs in question, which had a street
value of more than $9,000, were sold on the street, police said. "The
narcotics were not reintroduced into the community," Brock said.