NARCOTICS CHIEF IS THE 'REAL DEAL'

The Mississippi Senate was right to confirm Frank Melton, the often
controversial and outspoken TV executive, as director of the state
Bureau of Narcotics.

Melton, 52, has come in like gang-busters, literally, since the Texas
native arrived in The Magnolia State nearly two decades ago, adopting
troubled teens, giving untiring volunteer hours to youth.

As shown in Sunday's "Sunday Morning With" Perspective section feature
of The Clarion-Ledger, he has solid reasons for his activism.

He's the real deal, with the right priorities, as he put it: "First,
to do what is right. No politics, no race, no influences. Next we must
separate the users from the dealers. Get the users help - put the
dealers in jail for a long time. We want all of the assets that the
dealers have accumulated selling drugs, down to their tennis shoes.
These assets will be used to rebuild the neighborhoods that they have
destroyed. One neighborhood at a time, one family at a time."

He might have to pull in his histrionics, such as showing up at
schools with helicopters and a SWAT team. But his zeal for fighting
drugs and saving kids is refreshing.

"It's going to be a particular challenge on our part to make sure that
we keep Frank between the lines of the law," Attorney General Mike
Moore said in January after one of Melton's roadblocks that may have
exceeded his authority.

Between the lines is acceptable; but out of the box, as Melton's style
of thinking may be, is OK, too.

Dare we say it? That's The Bottom Line . . .