JEMISON CRACKING DOWN ON PROBLEM

JEMISON - The Jemison City Council on Monday heard police officers Robert
Monroe and Dewayne Driver give a report on how their department is getting
tougher on drugs, before elevating Driver above the probation period into
full status as an officer.

The council also heard Mayor Kenneth Ray talk at length about his concerns
about the drug problem, noting it has affected his family and that he wants
officers talking to students in Jemison's schools.

"I just want to praise our police department, because I'm sure you're
reading the newspaper," Ray said. "There's a lot of things they're doing
you don't know." Ray noted there are many details he doesn't know about.
"They're doing a doggone good job with drugs," Ray said. "Anyone who thinks
Jemison is a backwoods little city...They're going to get a surprise."

"Joe is doing a remarkable job," Ray said, noting Monroe is setting up a
training program for officers in using computers." Ray said he is also
talking to local schools about having anti-drug programs that would be
conducted by the police department.

Ray noted the matter has become personal for him. "I know for a fact it's
affected a member of my family. It hurts," Ray said, without identifying
the family member.

He said young people "think it's a big joke. They can get so intelligent
but they're so dumb."

Ray referred to a recent drug bust in Jemison where drugs were being
obtained at an unnamed business.

"That person was giving them curb service," Ray said.

Monroe noted search warrants were executed at another major location in
town, as crack and major drug buys have been made there. However, he said
such incidents don't always make it into the newspaper reports immediately,
because the department must wait on the state lab to identify the drug
before an arrest can be made. On the average it takes about six months
before someone goes to jail after officers find the substance.

Law enforcement officers sometimes have to wait as long as a year before an
identification is made. Otherwise, the officer cannot officially say the
substance is marijuana, cocaine, or whatever to proceed with the case.

However, the officers know while they wait that it is only a matter of time.

"So quite a few dealers are going to jail and they don't know it," Monroe
said. "We're making real good progress. Dwayne is helping a lot." Ray added
Monroe and Driver have made for a good team.

Monroe said if the officers go into the schools, they would make sure high
school students know the penalties involved. "What can seem like a joke can
get very serious," Monroe said.

Ray said officers would also go into the middle school to talk to students,
after Councilwoman Sharon Driver said younger students should also be
targeted for lectures.

In additon to granting full officer status to Driver, the council also
agreed to spend about $1,400 for two bulletproof jacks (which are $500
each) and some breathalizer equipment.