EDMOND FORMS DRUG INTERDICTION TEAM

EDMOND -- A new police drug interdiction team will begin work
officially this weekend, Police Chief Bob Ricks said. The new unit,
made up of seven officers, will start less than a month after Ricks
and the city were sued by four officers who believe they were demoted
after the Special Investigation Unit was disbanded.

Ricks said the new group will be less focused on drug investigations
and more on confiscating drugs and drug money running through the city.

"Our biggest problem is drugs passing through the city undetected," he
said. "There's no doubt in my mind there are large quantities we've
missed, and it's our obligation to take appropriate police action."

The team, which will still perform routine patrol duties, trained with
the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and the state Public Safety Department for
the job.

"The highway patrol informed us that the Oklahoma City metro area is a
key crossroads in the American drug trade," Ricks said. "A lot of
trafficking comes from the West Coast and Mexico, with a high quantity
of drugs and drug proceeds being seized in the area."

Besides stopping the movement of illegal drugs, the department often
gains operating funds from drug money, he said. Intercepted money is
shared with the district attorney and other agencies assisting in the
arrests.

The team has made practice runs in recent weeks to eliminate the "hit
and miss" individual nature of previous city drug investigations, he said.

"Before, it was trial and error," Ricks said. "With this group, we
wanted to make sure we're being consistent and conforming with the
laws, policies and procedures of the state. We don't want anyone to
have the chance to accuse us of targeting one group over another
rather than just searching for drugs."