L.B.'s NEWEST OFFICER HELPS SNIFF OUT DRUGS

LONG BEACH - The Police Department's newest officer already has proved
successful on the job, assisting in a drug arrest his first day on duty.

Officer Ray Bell said his canine partner, Taro, found a small amount of
marijuana in a vehicle that probably would not have been discovered by a
human officer because it was hidden so well.

"He is the latest weapon in our war against drugs in the community," Chief
Harley Schinker said, referring to the 2-year-old Belgian Malinois.

Taro, who is trained to find all types of drugs, will assist the
department's newly formed Narcotics Task Force. His duties include
searching schools, vehicles, homes and other places where drug activity is
suspected, Schinker said.

In 2003, Long Beach police made 88 drug arrests, eight more arrests than in
2002. Police have made 22 drug arrests since the Narcotics Task Force was
formed in January. Of the 22 arrests, four were at schools and eight
involved youths age 13 to 17.

The city had the highest per-capita deadly overdose rate countywide in 2003.

The Police Department used $7,000 donated by the county to purchase Taro
through a canine school in Stone County.

Harrison County Supervisor Marlin Ladner, who watched Taro in action during
a practice search Tuesday, said the money was well spent.

Bell and Taro spent two weeks training at the school, where they learned to
work together and understand each other. Because Taro primarily understands
the French language, Bell had to learn French commands. Bell, a full-time
Long Beach officer since August 2002, said Taro understands both English
and German commands.