POLICE CHIEF ARRESTED ON DRUG CHARGES

HARRISBURG -- A northeastern Pennsylvania police chief was arrested on
drug and obstruction charges Wednesday and prosecutors said he had
been secretly observed smoking seized marijuana repeatedly while on
duty.

Weatherly Police Chief Brian S. Cara was released on
personal-recognizance bail after his preliminary arraignment Wednesday
on charges of possession of marijuana and paraphernalia, obstruction
of justice and attempted obstruction.

The state attorney general's office said an investigative grand jury
heard evidence that cocaine and marijuana has inexplicably disappeared
from the Carbon County police department's evidence locker since 2002.

Cara, 38, of West Hazleton, did not immediately return a phone message
left at his home and it was unclear whether he was represented by a
lawyer. He has been suspended with pay since investigators searched
his office in August.

Prosecutors said officers reported that sealed evidence envelopes
containing cocaine were later discovered opened and emptied, and that
at least twice Cara told other police officers that missing drugs may
have exploded while inside the evidence locker.

A grand jury that began hearing evidence in the case in September 2003
reported that several officers had smelled marijuana smoke inside the
police department. Officers also recounted drug cases that were not
investigated, evidence containers that had been tampered with, and
drugs and paraphernalia that turned up in a desk drawer Cara used, the
attorney general's office said.

Using a hidden video camera, state drug agents on Aug. 2 allegedly
observed Cara smoking pot on duty nine times, then numerous other
times over the next two days. Prosecutors said Cara was seen filling a
pipe with marijuana and then putting it in his breast pocket before
going on patrol.

The day his office was searched, Aug. 4, Cara allegedly tested
positive for having used marijuana over the previous 48 hours. The
grand jury presentment states Cara admitted to state drug agents he
had smoked marijuana removed from the evidence locker.

Weatherly Mayor Joseph E. D'Andrea said Cara may be placed on unpaid
suspension while charges are pending.

"We're not his judge and jury, but we can't continue paying him and
filling in for him at his salary," D'Andrea said.

Cara was promoted to chief in 1994 and did a good job, the mayor
said.

"I was really shocked to find out everything he was supposed to have
done. If he has had problems and needed help, we could have helped
him," D'Andrea said.