AUTHORITIES SETTLE AIRPORT JURISDICTION DISPUTE

A long-standing dispute over whether county or federal authorities run the
war on drugs at Pittsburgh International Airport was resolved yesterday,
but officials involved in the negotiations refused to explain how.

County Manager Robert Webb participated in the hourlong discussions, as did
District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr. and representatives of the county
police, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Airport Authority.

"What happened today has led to an agreement among all the different
agencies involved out at the airport, and that agreement will bring about
the most ambitious effort ever in Western Pennsylvania to target parties
who traffic in narcotics," said Michael Manko, Zappala's spokesman

The behind-the-scenes dispute between the county police and the Drug
Enforcement Administration unfolded over several months.

It led county police to stop working with DEA agents late last year,
prompted the Airport Authority to rescind credentials for DEA agents, and
led Zappala to threaten to arrest Airport Authority Executive Director Kent
George for obstruction of justice.

Webb would not say whether the DEA's credentials have been restored or
whether county police detectives rejoined the DEA task force. The
deputization of three county narcotics detectives was revoked by the DEA in
October.

"It was a very favorable meeting, and I think it was a productive session,"
Webb said. "We are all proceeding ahead together in harmony."

County police Superintendent Kenneth Fulton has steadfastly refused to
divulge what caused him to break from a DEA-run task force at the airport
in October. He did not return a call seeking comment yesterday.

There were indications that the dispute between the two law enforcement
agencies was related to efforts by the DEA to lease office space at the
airport.

Eventually, the disagreement broke down into a turf battle, with the
Airport Authority siding with county police and Zappala siding with the DEA.

All the wrangling put public safety in jeopardy, according to Zappala.
Felix Jimenez, the DEA's top agent in Pennsylvania, acknowledged that the
imbroglio was hampering his agents' activities.

The county police are technically in charge of airport security. Part of
the dispute arose because DEA agents wanted to be able to operate armed and
undercover without having to check in with county police.

The Airport Authority, however, demanded that the DEA abide by the same
rules as other federal agencies, such as the FBI, which routinely apprise
county police of their movements at the airport.