POLICE URGED TO JOIN ANTI-DRUG COALITION

City Manager Allan Roeder wants more information before Costa Mesa
Police Department joins drug task force.

COSTA MESA -- The Costa Mesa Police Department will have better access
to drug-fighting resources -- and add to city revenues -- if it joins
a coalition of anti-drug agencies, police officials say.

But City Manager Allan Roeder counters that a Police Department report
- -- which says the city would generate more revenue from assets seized
in drug busts if it joins the Southern California Drug Task Force --
lacks important information.

Police officials presented the report to the City Council, which
delayed making a final decision, last Monday. The council will discuss
the issue at its March 30 meeting.

"The financial figures were not complete," Roeder said Monday. "And I
wanted to make sure to be focused on law enforcement and not some
notion that the city would be receiving a windfall of financial gain."

Lt. Ron Smith, a detective commander with the Costa Mesa Police
Department, said redeploying one of the department's nine narcotics
officers to the task force would "help cut off the big suppliers."

The officer would join representatives from about 30 other city, state
and federal anti-drug agencies -- including the United States
Department of Justice and the Drug Enforcement Administration -- in
investigating regional drug trends. Some revenue from the sale of
boats, cars and homes seized by the coalition in drug arrests are
distributed among the 30 member agencies.

But Smith stressed that judges, not the anti-drug agencies, decide
where revenue from seized property should go. "It isn't like King
George," he said.

But he said he expects city revenues to increase if the city joins the
task force. Member agencies equally divide the money judges allot to
the coalition.

"The [task force] covers a wider area," Smith said. "Joining it will
increase the number of crooks you're going to catch, drugs you're
going to seize and assets seized."

Money seized can only be used to expand drug-fighting
programs.

A group of nearly 10 Orange County residents at last week's City
Council meeting questioned the regional drug-fighting alliance. Most
were concerned about the fairness of seizing property.

"I wonder if the city should get in bed with the DEA," said Gordon
Wilson, an Aliso Viejo-based activist. "The DEA is a violent gang. And
the drug war is destroying us."

Smith said Costa Mesa residents have nothing to fear.

"The federal government is not running amok," he said.