NARCOTICS BUREAU

- - Sharp focus, cooperation needed

The resignation of Don Strange as head of the state Bureau of Narcotics is
unfortunate as he was a hard-charging director with clear and positive
goals for the agency.

But among reasons he gave for quitting, two stand out that would put him at
odds with where the agency is and should be: 1) His budget; 2) Highway
Patrol relations.

Regarding the budget, he's right: MBN's budget cut by 41 percent over the
past three years is devastating. It's difficult to retain morale and build
new programs and strategies with constant cutbacks and a dim budget outlook.

But MBN isn't alone in dealing with grim budget figures. All state agencies
are suffering, some with even more cuts and more critical services that
cannot be shared with cooperating agencies - which leads to the second item.

Both the patrol and MBN are under the Department of Public Safety. The
patrol is nearly twice as large, but MBN has a sharper mandate on drugs.
With tight funds, it makes sense to try to reduce overlap and,
realistically, sheer numbers and political clout is with the patrol.

Also, the director of MBN should answer directly to the commissioner of
public safety. In the past, MBN has been criticized as being too much of a
loner outfit, unwilling to cooperate with state and local agencies.

Strange was successful in putting more agents in the field, working with
local law enforcement, to counter that. Whoever takes his position must
continue along that line.

Drug abuse fuels all types of crime, from burglaries, thefts and
prostitution by addicts trying to raise cash to feed their habits to
shootings, homicides and street-gang formation associated with sale and
distribution of drugs.

Successfully fighting illegal drug activity will require greater focus and
cooperation among all law enforcement.