ARREST POSED DANGER TO SCHOOL

I am writing in response to the Jan. 17 news report "Officials arrest drug
suspect outside school." The arrest could have gone bad and bullets could
have gone flying. Did the Gang Strike Force not ever think of the kids who
could have got caught in the crossfire if something did go wrong? Police
could've easily set up the buy/bust at a safer location than across from an
elementary school.

So the question is why would the Gang Strike Force conduct a controlled buy
and a possibly dangerous arrest outside of an elementary school that has
hundreds of innocent children in it?

After researching the issue I have come to this conclusion: They wanted to
enhance the charges against a man who possessed/sold a small amount of drugs.

I don't know the exact amount of drugs that was sold, but I can narrow the
amount from 3 to 5.99 grams, as the man was charged with a third-degree
felony. This amount is equivalent to a single sugar packet.

What is accomplished by setting up a buy in a school zone is the ability to
enhance the sale of a controlled substance charge to a first-degree felony
and a second-degree possession. The enhancement to a first-degree allows
for a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine.

This again is for the sale of a sugar packet amount of drugs.

The Gang Strike Force's desire to enhance the charges in this case
endangered the lives of hundreds of children who were attending school.
This type of irresponsible and dangerous action by law enforcement needs to
be looked into and corrected so it does not happen again, with possibly a
much worse outcome.

Elizabeth Schroden, St. Cloud