TASKING THE FORCES

THE ISSUE Drug task forces face daunting battles to eliminate illegal drugs
in the Shoals.

WE SUGGEST Pooling resources and presenting a unified
regional front in this battle would accomplish more than countywide efforts.

The predawn hours of Jan. 28 provided some rude surprises for people in
Alabama and Mississippi accused of buying and selling illegal drugs.

Law enforcement officers from Franklin County, Tishomingo County, Miss.,
and the Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board joined forces to arrest 67
people.

The significance here is that not only did Alabama agencies band together,
they reached across state lines to enlist the support of Mississippi officers.

The result is less dope for sale on the rural roads and city streets -
especially crystal methamphetamine, which has become the new moonshine
whiskey of the South, only much more dangerous.

The lesson learned?

Determination and willingness to ignore jurisdictional lines for a common
cause yield the results all involved are trying to achieve on their own.

Operation Bedrock was a success that deserves a closer look.

Those who were involved say cooperation is what made the raids successful.
The agencies put in 17 months of work together to bring charges.

The message here is that cooperation works. The unfortunate downside to
this operation is that it is not a permanent arrangement.

It also is unfortunate that law enforcement agencies and other drug task
forces in northwest Alabama are not unified.

The region is unique because it borders two other states, making it easier
for criminals and drug dealers to skip from jurisdiction to jurisdiction in
a short distance.

In Lauderdale County, the drug task force has been suspended while it
undergoes reorganization. Sheriff Ronnie Willis is considering pulling his
agency out of the task force, which does not bode well for effective drug
enforcement.

Further damaging the cause, the Lauderdale task force is under a cloud
while the state investigates a break-in at its Florence office last fall in
which drugs, cash and records were taken.

While task force members are not under suspicion in the investigation, the
unit's grant is about to expire and officials are taking the opportunity to
reorganize. The time is opportune to look past the county line, as well.

The time is right to follow the example set by elected officials in Colbert
and Lauderdale counties who have joined forces for the common economic good.

The same example can be applied to law enforcement, especially when illegal
drugs are involved. The ability to reach across jurisdictional lines would
allow officers to build a stronger database of suspected dealers and react
more quickly.

The example set by Franklin and Tishomingo counties shows that cooperation
is a matter of political will. If everyone has a common goal, getting
results requires thinking regionally, not locally.

It also is likely that broadening the political and geographic scope of a
single agency would result in more state and federal money.

In this new age of burgeoning federal deficits and higher competition for
grants, a larger task force would have greater clout in getting what it needs.