ROSWELL -- A police detective responsible for collecting evidence has been
arraigned on a drug charge after another detective found about a pound of
cocaine in his desk, Chief Richard Campbell said.

Mike Cooper, 48, appeared Monday before Magistrate Robert Corn on charges
of embezzlement and possession of cocaine. He could be sentenced to up to
three years in prison if convicted of both charges. Cooper has been placed
on leave with pay.

Corn released him under supervision.

Campbell said at a news conference Monday that the cocaine was discovered
Friday night, and that Cooper was questioned and arrested Saturday morning.
Cooper cooperated with investigators, he said.

"Although this is a situation that is awfully embarrassing to the police
department, in retrospect we have a department that has a lot of integrity,
and we have a police department that has a lot of members who work very
hard to be professional," Campbell said. "One of the things that I think is
very important about this particular case is we discovered this internally.

"One of our own members of the department is the one who brought this to
our attention, and although this was very difficult for him, demonstrates
that we have a department that has very professional members."

The cocaine came from evidence confiscated during a June investigation,
Campbell said. He said the department is reviewing its process for tagging
evidence to tighten the system.

Cooper, a 10-year veteran, has spent the last year assigned to the
technical services unit, which is responsible for documenting crime scenes
and collecting evidence.