LIBS VOW TO BOOST ANTI-DRUG POLICE

A NSW Coalition government would dedicate $34 million and 300 police to
combating illegal drugs, prompting a warning of a return to the "bad old
days" of police corruption.

Opposition Leader Kerry Chikarovski said a specialized drugs agency and
four mobile strike-forces would be established in an attempt to combat the
growing illicit drug trade.

"Ironically at a time when NSW has a growing drug problem, the Carr Labor
Government is reducing the resources available to drug law enforcement," Ms
Chikarovski said after launching her law and order policy ahead of the
March 21 State election.

Attorney-General Jeff Shaw said the proposed specialised agency was similar
to the old Drug Enforcement Agency, which came under criticism at the royal
commission into police corruption.

The old DEA and drug-fighting teams have since been revamped and placed
under the police service's Crime Agencies.

"The Carr Government, in conjunction with Commissioner Ryan, has already
made the tough decisions about reforming the NSW Police Service," Mr Shaw
said.

Ms Chikarovski said the new agency and strike-forces would be established
with the full cooperation of the Police Integrity Commission, set up in the
wake of the royal commission to stamp out corruption.

She said the number of police dedicated to drug-fighting had been reduced
from 300 to 50 - figures rejected by Mr Shaw, who said 265 police were
targeting drugs and Asian crime from within Crime Agencies.

The policy also sparked a squabble over the number of drug-related arrests
and charges since Crime Agencies was set up in 1997.

Mr Shaw said Crime Agencies had made 828 arrests and laid 4103 charges by
the end of 1998. But Opposition spokesman on police matters Andrew Tink
pointed to Hansard, which records Premier Bob Carr telling parliament that
Crime Agencies made 64 arrests and laid 249 charges between Ju]y 1997 and
May 1998. He said 723 arrests and 1895 charges were laid in 1990 under the
old DEA.

The policy brought a cautious welcome from the NSW Police Association after
the Coalition said the positions of the 300 dedicated officers would be
filled through extra recruitment. The association is pushing for 2500 extra
police in the 16,000 strong-service - the nation's largest.

Commenting on the policy, Police Commissioner Peter Ryan said: "That's an
interesting proposal. I would like to see the details of it."