DRUG BUSTERS SAY ALL IS WELL

Johnson County Bureau

PAINTSVILLE - Organizers of the Paintsville-Johnson County Drug Task Force
agree that the cooperative effort to target illicit drug trade throughout
the county is an "important tool" and say they want to see it continue.
And, although officials publicly maintain that everything is hunky dory
with the task force, reports continue to circulate that all may not be as
some officials want the public to believe.

A meeting was held Monday in Mayor Robin Cooper's office to discuss the
future of the drug task force after controversial issues surrounding the
endeavor surfaced last week. Cooper and police chief Doug Wallen said
Tuesday that the meeting was a success when they and Sheriff Bill Witten
"hashed out" the issues - some of which Cooper says weren't really issues
at all. Task force co-supervisors, chief deputy Darrell Preston and city
police officer Brett Meadows, also attended Monday's meeting.

"Basically, everything is fine," the mayor said.

Chief Wallen said Tuesday that "there wasn't any problem" and that
"everybody (the police officers) is pretty comfortable working together."

Sheriff Witten made no reference to the meeting, but noted that he had
another conversation with the mayor on Tuesday morning. "The mayor and I
both agree that the drug task force is an important tool for Johnson County
and that it should move forward," the sheriff said. "We are making every
effort to see that it continues."

Controversy surrounding the drug task force surfaced last week when Sheriff
Witten publicly disassociated himself and the Johnson County Sheriff's
Department from the city police's fundraising efforts to purchase a drug dog.

The sheriff took issue with a letter soliciting the funds from local
businesses. The letter made reference to the drug task force and its
successes in support of the need for a drug dog. Witten says the letter
indicates, incorrectly, that the sheriff's department was involved with the
solicitation of funds.

In a letter to the mayor, Witten noted that he found portions of the letter
"personally offensive and a violation of the spirit of our drug task
force..." He also stated that the letter was insensitive to the "fragile
nature" of cooperation between both police agencies by proclaiming, "In an
attempt to combat the ongoing drug problem, officers of this division (the
Paintsville Police Department) formed the Paintsville-Johnson County Drug
Task Force."

In response to last week's story in the BSN about the controversy,
Paintsville officer Brett Meadows submitted a letter to the editor and
continues to maintain that the task force was formed by the police
department. That letter, which was signed by Meadows as a "citizen of
Johnson County," was drafted prior to Monday's meeting and delivered to
both local newspapers.

"The truth is," Meadows' letter to the editor says, "I included the results
of our task force in an opening pitch to make people aware of an ongoing
problem and there is no direct mention of the Johnson County Sheriff's
Department in my letter, only a reference to the (task force). "I did the
work on every case without ever being accompanied (by) a deputy on a
successful drug buy so I can take credit for my own work," his letter
continues.

"The officers of this division, the Paintsville Police Department, have
formed a task force and there is nothing erroneously reported in saying
that. We are a part of the task force and it was our initial insight that
led to the formation of this entity. It was approved by the members of
government...

"Thanks, Bill for putting my name in the paper," Meadows' letter concludes.
"My co-workers, family and friends were glad to see it, though [I]t seemed
to be a personal attack on the person who afforded you many front-page
pictures."

Meadows' letter to the editor can be seen in its entirety on Page A7.