POLICE MIFFED BY SNUB AT HIGH-TECH GIVEAWAY BY FEDS

PITTSBURGH -- Officers from 250 police departments were invited to a
high-tech giveaway in Pittsburgh by federal drug authorities but there was
one problem: City and county police say they were left off the list.
Pittsburgh police Chief Robert McNeilly said he is at a loss to explain why
officers from the host city learned about the event only when it was coming
to a close.

''Anytime you talk about free equipment, a team of horses couldn't keep us
away from it,'' McNeilly said. ''I'm disappointed that they had this
seminar here in our city and didn't tell us what it was about.''

The Office of National Drug Control Policy brought its latest technology to
the city Thursday, allowing police to window shop as part of a federal
program to help battle illegal drug sales.

More than 200 police officers from New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania
and West Virginia watched demonstrations of about $1 million worth of
technology once available only to federal agencies.

Program officials insist that both the Pittsburgh police and the Allegheny
County police were sent notices of the event.

''We regret that the invitation sent to the chief was not received,'' said
Jeff Kamen of the Police Development Group, a private company hired by the
military as a consultant for the giveaway program.

City narcotics officers did make an appearance late in the day, after
McNeilly learned what the gathering was about, he said.

The Drug Czar's Technology Exchange Program, begun in 1998, has given free
technology to more than 3,800 departments across the country, including 107
in Pennsylvania.