SHOWING SIGNS OF GETTING TOUGH

Jacksonville/Onslow Crime Stoppers has always been a serious organization.

Now, the Crime Stoppers board is attempting to deliver a serious
message to the public in its latest campaign to "put drug dealers
where they belong."

Gone are the cartoon characters, including a Sherlock Holmes
character holding a magnifying glass and a raccoon playing the role
of masked bandit. The latest billboards -- there are currently six
scattered around Onslow County -- have a photo of a law enforcement
officer putting handcuffs on a drug dealer.

"The emphasis is to get drugs out of the community, including our
base and our schools," said Joe Yannessa, chairman of the Crime
Stoppers board. "To do that we want to attack drug dealers who are
bringing drugs into our community. We hope the billboard message will
instill in the community a willingness to come forward now that they
know the magnifying glass is really on these drug dealers."

Tips received through the Crime Stoppers program are "invaluable to
law enforcement," said Jacksonville police Chief Mike Yaniero. "Tips
give us an indication where there are drug problems and who is
involved. If we get multiple complaints, we can target our limited resources."

It's one of the reasons Yaniero opted to donate some of the Police
Department's confiscated drug money, which must be used to combat
drug problems in the city, to help fund the billboard campaign. The
Onslow County Sheriff's Department, the Naval Criminal Investigative
Service and the Crime Stoppers board also paid for the billboards.

"I really believe this is a good thing," Onslow County Sheriff Ed
Brown said about the billboard campaign.

"The No. 1 problem in America is drugs. Sixty to 80 percent of all
crimes are drug related. If you reduce the drug problem, you reduce
the crime problem. It makes sense."

Based on the types of tips called into the Crime Stoppers hotline,
it's clear that drug-related crimes are an issue in the city, the
county, county schools and on Camp Lejeune.

"About 40 percent of our calls are drug related," Yannessa said.
"Drug-related calls are the single, highest crime reported through
our tip line."

The more area residents get involved in helping law enforcement fight
drugs, the easier it will be to rid the area of them.

"We couldn't do it alone," Yaniero said. "Drugs are still a major
issue. With drugs comes other crimes. With other crimes comes
violence. It's a perpetual circle. While we may never be able to
eradicate drugs, we must do our best to stop drug dealers so it
doesn't get out of control."

Brown said legislators also need to focus on the drug problem and
create stiffer laws.

"If the word gets out that there are tough drug laws in North
Carolina, people will go somewhere else to do their drugs," Brown
said. "We need to target the drug problem severely."

Anyone with information about drug dealers can call the Crime
Stoppers hotline at 938-3273. Callers do not have to reveal their
identity. Crime Stoppers offers rewards up to $2,500 for information
leading to the arrest and indictment of drug dealers.