BRAY: ARRESTS SLOW DRUG CRIME, BUT DO NOT END IT

Operation Spring Bling Arrests 28

Though "Operation Spring Bling" has now resulted in nearly 30
arrests, an Elizabeth City police official says no one should expect
the recent roundup of drug suspects to have a lasting impact on the
city's illegal drug trade.

Police may have temporarily curbed some of the nuisances associated
with the drug trade -- excessive traffic and noise -- and removed
several street-level drug dealers, but selling illegal narcotics is a
lucrative 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week business, Sgt. Gary Bray
says. And as such it will go on, despite efforts like Spring Bling to stop it.

As Bray points out: "(Drug dealers) don't take Saturdays and Sundays
off and go out to their in-laws and barbecue."

At best, police were able to inconvenience customers of the city's
drug trade by locking up those they regularly buy drugs from.
However, if someone really wanted to buy drugs the day police
unleashed Spring Bling, they could, Bray said.

"There's going to be some people that are going to go, 'Damn, I don't
have my regular person'" to buy drugs from, he said. But that doesn't
mean they can't still buy drugs.

Where police are able to have impact with operations like Spring
Bling is community perception of crime, Bray, head of the Elizabeth
City Police Department's Drug Enforcement Unit, says.

Prior to starting their investigation, police had received complaints
from neighbors of six private residences about what appeared to be
illegal drug activity. Citizens complained about constant traffic and
excessive noise, including in the middle of the night.

"'Man, I can't even get a good night's sleep around here,'" was
typical of some of the complaints, Bray said.

Shootings and violent crimes weren't a recurring problem at the six
homes, he said. But it was obvious to police that there were problems
in the neighborhoods that required a police response.

"It's the quality-of-life issues that really affect most citizens in
these areas," Bray said.

Police soon began watching the six homes themselves, gathering
intelligence on possible crimes and offenders, Bray said. Using
controlled drug buys, police were able to collect enough evidence to
execute search warrants at each of the six homes, and on Friday, June
19, police unleashed Spring Bling.

During the roundup, police found both drugs and weapons at several of
the residences. They also arrested about a dozen of the 38 people
they had warrants for. Charges ranged from possession of drug
paraphernalia to rape and violent assault. As of Friday, the number
of Spring Bling suspects in custody had risen to 28.

Bray said he's awaiting word from federal officials on whether any of
those arrested will face federal charges.

Most of the targets of Spring Bling were chosen because they are
believed to have connections to crack cocaine, Bray said.

While marijuana may be more plentiful, it is not as serious a problem
as crack, he said.

"Crack is the one (drug) that really destroys people's lives," Bray said.

Police can't completely end the sale of crack but they can try to
reduce it and the gang-related violence that accompanies it, he said.
Gangs sometimes steal cars or guns and sell them to make money, but
generally their income comes from selling drugs, Bray said.

"The only way gangs can make money here in Elizabeth City is sell
dope or rob people," Bray said.

Bray said he likes to conduct about two operations like Spring Bling
a year. He'd like to do more, but drug roundups require a lot of
police legwork and are heavily dependent on help from the public.

Bray said residents aren't "beating down the doors" to help out
police. Usually it's because offering such help can be risky for both
themselves and their families, he said.