OFFICERS WORKING FOR DRUG-FREE CITY

Community Can Become Involved In Narcotics War

The Greenville Police Department Special Operations Unit has a mission, and
that is to make the city drug-free.

Capt. James Tutor and his team have been cracking down on drugs in the
city. The special team of four has been going at it since the new changes
at GPD were implemented in early July.

The division went through several weeks of classes to learn the ins and
outs of the narcotics division, and since then, officers have been on the
trail of local dealers and users.

Special Operations media correspondent Susan Graziosi said the division has
executed seven search warrants since the beginning of August. From those ,
16 people have been arrested on drug charges.

"A search warrant is obtained after an investigation yields enough probable
cause to justify the search of private property," Graziosi said on Wednesday.

Graziosi said the Special Operations Division has had help from the Central
Delta Drug Task Force, as well as the Washington County Sheriff's
Department. Other help in drug cases has come from Gypsy, Ms. Lucy and
Maddie, K-9 unit dogs from the sheriff's department and the police department.

Tutor, Graziosi and investigators Chris Orr and Delando Wilson make up the
Special Operations Narcotics Division, and Tutor said the team is doing a
great job.

"They put a lot of work into their investigations; they handle everything
well and they follow through with everything," Tutor said.

Police Chief Lon Pepper Jr. is also pleased with the performance of the team.

"I think they are doing an excellent job," Pepper said. "As we get more and
more organized, and gather more intelligence, there will be more success."

About 16 weapons have been seized from dealers who have been arrested,
Graziosi said.

She said the most common drug seized is crack cocaine. In the past two
months, the officers have confiscated 248 grams of crack cocaine with a
street value of about $24,000.

Graziosi said the cost of crack cocaine from dealer to dealer is between
$800 and $900 per ounce, whereas the resale of the drugs to users is about
$2,800.

The team, along with the assistance of uniformed officers of the police
department, have also seized about seven pounds of marijuana in the last
two months valuing between $800 and $1,000 on the street.

Graziosi said methamphetamine is starting to be a bad problem in the city
limits.

"It seems the county is doing such a good job at busting the meth labs,
that they running them back to us," Graziosi said.

Graziosi said the division has received a lot of information about
methamphetamine labs in the city, and on Monday received tips of two
different labs. Graziosi said when officers arrived at the two locations,
they did find evidence that labs had been there, but nothing was in the
works, and the site was properly cleaned up.

"We rely heavily on citizens involvement and information," Graziosi said.
"We are willing to develop a relationship with people in the community,
with people who are willing to develop a relationship with the officers,"
she said.

Amy Redwine covers law enforcement for the Delta Democrat Times.