PRISON LOCKS DOWN

NEWPORT - Carteret Correctional Center has little problem with illegal
drugs and other contraband appearing on the prison campus and
Superintendent Duncan Daughtry said he intends to keep it that way.

So when his staff recently found several inmates with drugs, he made a
first-time request for assistance from the Department of Correction Drug
Interdiction Team that serves the eastern region.

The team is one of five in the state that travels to prisons conducting
unannounced searches of people and vehicles entering prison property to
stop the flow of illegal drugs and other prohibited items.

Daughtry said the interdiction conducted this past weekend at the Newport
facility was a show of zero tolerance.

"In the two weeks prior to this we found drugs on the person of some of the
different inmates A. which was an indication to us that they were getting
it from somewhere. Predicated on that, we requested the interdiction," he said.

A road block was set up in the prison's driveway between noon and 4 p.m. on
Saturday and searches were conducted as visitors arrived for their regular
visitation with inmates. The interdiction team, which brought in three
trained dogs, worked with prison and police officers to seek out any drugs
or contraband hidden on a person or in a vehicle.

During that time, four drug charges were filed, including three for
possession of marijuana and one for possession of drug paraphernalia,
Daughtry said. There were also three weapons-related charges, including one
involving possession of a stolen pistol and two for possession of a
concealed weapon.

Daughtry said there was also one charge of possession of alcohol and one
person identified as a fugitive from Guilford County for failing to appear
in court on an unrelated felony.

Had the alcohol, drugs or weapons made it into the prison, they could have
created a dangerous situation.

"These items can cause dangerous situations to occur within the prison
facility and we have zero tolerance for bringing them in and we will deal
with it," Daughtry said.

Daughtry said the prison has had few problems with drugs and contraband
getting into the facility. He saw the weekend interdiction as a proactive
step to keep a problem from developing.

"We saw what was arising and knew it was time to nip it in the bud," he said.

While searches for drugs and contraband have long been conducted at North
Carolina prisons, the five interdiction teams have only been formalized
since July 2001, said DOC spokesperson Keith Acree.

At that time, DOC received a federal grant that was used to purchase six
trained dogs and assist with training for the officers to handle them.
Prior to the current program, there was only one trained dog available for
use in the whole state, Acree said.

While Daughtry had not requested an interdiction team prior to last
weekend, he said he will do so again.

"Based on the results Saturday, I plan to have more (interdictions) in the
future," he said.