CITY LEADERS MUST TACKLE DRUG ISSUE

What is the most effective way to fight drugs in Hattiesburg? Is it through
a metro task force comprised of local law enforcement agencies?

Is it through a separate task force created to focus solely on drug crimes
in the Hub City?

Or is the best way a combination of the two?

At this point, there is considerable disagreement over this issue.

Hattiesburg officials - and this includes Mayor Johnny DuPree, Police Chief
David Wynn and the members of the city council - need to grapple with these
questions and decide upon the proper course of action.

Leadership on this issue is even more critical in the wake of Thursday's
decision by the board of the Forrest-Perry County Metro Narcotics Task
Force to remove the Hattiesburg Police Department from the task force.

Wynn, who announced plans last week to launch a separate drug task force,
told the board he wants to create a narcotics unit with three Hattiesburg
officers, but also wants to remain a member of the metro group.

The Metro Task Force is comprised of two officers from Hattiesburg, two
from the Forrest County Sheriff's Department and one each from the Petal
Police Department and the Perry County Sheriff's Department.

When Wynn and the board failed to reach agreement on how the four law
enforcement agencies would share money seized in drug cases, the board
voted to oust Hattiesburg from the metro organization.

The council held a special session Friday to discuss the task force.
However, the issue is far from being resolved.

Under the existing arrangement, 10 percent of seized money goes to the
Forrest-Perry County District Attorney's office, 45 percentage goes to the
task force and 45 percent goes to assisting agencies.

Wynn requested 80 percent of the forfeited money collected in drug cases.

While there may be disagreement over the best way to fight drugs, there
appears to be little disagreement over another issue: Hattiesburg has a
drug problem.

According to the latest crime statistics, Hattiesburg experienced a 103.5
percent increase in robberies and a 20 percent increase in burglaries from
January to October.

During the same period, arrests for narcotics violations decreased nearly
32 percent.

"I believe our increase in crime is directly related to drug activity,"
said Wynn. "That is the only reason I proposed a drug unit in Hattiesburg."

If illicit drug use is indeed at the heart of Hattiesburg's crime problem,
let's find and implement the most effective method to curtail it.