GOOD IDEA TO NOURISH MOBILE AND PRICHARD

The decision to make Mobile and Prichard part of a pilot federal program to
combat drugs and crime is certainly welcome news, but the Drug Enforcement
Administration must avoid duplicating existing initiatives and get results.

Mobile and Prichard are among five areas in the country where the DEA is
implementing the Integrated Drug Enforcement Assistance Project, known by
the acronym IDEA. The others are Allentown, Pa.; North Charleston, S.C.;
Portsmouth, Va.; and Springfield, Mo.

The idea is to reduce the demand for drugs in high-risk neighborhoods, not
just by arresting dealers and users but by emphasizing prevention,
education and treatment. The DEA selected Mobile and Prichard because of
the shootings last year of a Mobile police officer in a public housing
community, and the death of a 6-year-old boy who was killed by a stay
bullet during what police said was an ambush of Prichard officers. A
Prichard officer also was injured.

Increased federal resources, especially if directed to rehabilitation and
treatment, can only help to combat drug abuse. But much of the DEA's
outline of the program sounds similar to at least two initiatives already
established here.

First, even the local U.S. attorney, David York, says IDEA is similar to
"community policing," a concept that involves making officers very familiar
with the neighborhoods they patrol, and encouraging residents to get to
know the officers well enough to work with one another as partners in
preventing crime.

Second, the federal Weed and Seed program, also part of the U.S. Department
of Justice, has been in operation in high-risk neighborhoods of Mobile and
Prichard for a number of years.

Weed and Seed aims to "weed" out crime, drug abuse, gangs and the like, and
"seed" a neighborhood with educational programs and services aimed at
reducing crime and drug abuse.

IDEA organizers say they intend to form partnerships with existing
agencies. That will be an important step in using all federal dollars and
resources efficiently to make the Mobile-Prichard pilot program a
successful national example.