STORM TROOPER IDEA WON'T STOP DRUGS

I admire newly appointed Narcotics Bureau Director Frank Melton and
his determination to work endless hours to reduce drug problems in
Jackson, but going into a school or a ballgame like Star Wars storm
troopers is not going to help reduce our drug problems.

Everyone knows that when anyone sees police officers dressed in
uniforms storming through a school or stadium door, the real drug
dealers and users "chill" until they leave. Dealers simply hide their
drugs, on the premises if necessary, until the storm troopers move on.
Ten minutes later, they are right back smoking and doping.

If Mr. Melton really wants to make a difference, he needs to plant
some undercover officers near the entrance doors of the high school
and college games. Whenever I attend a game, some people pass by me
reeking from the smell of freshly burned dope. They also pass right by
on-duty police officers standing by the entrances to the games, but
the officers never stop anyone.

I figure the officers must leave their sense of smell in the squad car
when they work large games.

Everyone knows, including Melton, who the real dope dealers are.
Realistically, the root of the dope problem can never be stopped. Dope
dealing is like stage-four cancer: Once you try to cut out the root,
it spreads.

I wish Mr. Melton well. His dedication is commendable, and miracles do
happen. But storm trooping through the city poses no real threat to
the big dealers out there. The only ones who benefit from this tactic
are the news media filling the 6 p.m. slot.

Dorothy Gater,
Jackson