DRUG-ENFORCEMENT INITIATIVES FAR FROM FAILURES

I must admit that I do not know Edward Decker, who to me is the all too
prolific contributor to your editorial pages, but I assume, based on the
number of letters he writes, that he is retired and, based on his
overwhelmingly negative comments on most issues, that he is a very unhappy
person.

I don't believe I have ever specifically responded to any of his letters;
however, the one entitled "The war on drugs is far from over" in the
Observer on Jan. 3 deserves a law-enforcement response.

He initially wrongfully attacks Michael Pasterchick, the special agent in
charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration in New Jersey, who is a
bright, intelligent and thoughtful agent and administrator.

He translates the good news given by SAC Pasterchick that heroin quality,
while still very high, has dropped about 10 percent over the last year in
New Jersey, into something sinister.

He implies, without any basis in fact, that because the heroin purity is
down means that someone is cutting the heroin with some deadly product
which is dangerous to addicts and that this is the reason for the lower purity.

He next denigrates the entire efforts of our State Department, the U.S.
military, law enforcement and other agencies that are working on the heroin
production problem in Afghanistan.

None of the above denies that this is a major problem, but we are taking
many positive steps to eliminate it.

He then claims the work of the DEA over 90 years has been a failure.

Without challenging his time line, let me suggest that Decker speak to the
parent of just one drug addict whose supplier was arrested by the DEA or
other law enforcement agency, or to any of the thousands of parents,
teachers or other professionals who attended training programs sponsored by
the DEA and other law enforcement agencies and ask them if all of their
efforts were a failure.

I submit that he'll hear very much to the contrary.

Finally, he suggests that the way law enforcement and the government are
handling the drug crisis is all wrong, but, like most naysayers, he made no
positive proposals as to how we could do our jobs better, which we would
certainly encourage.

Let me make a suggestion to him -- get a life.

Try, just once, to look at the positive side of something -- anything --
and send in a letter about that.

Terrence P. Farley

First Assistant Ocean County Prosecutor