DEA TARGETS NORTH CHARLESTON DRUG PROBLEM

Federal agents plan to bring North Charleston residents, business owners
and community leaders into the battle against drugs, hoping that increased
community involvement and awareness will create a long-term solution.

Agents with the Drug Enforcement Agency will sit down today with about 150
community leaders for a three-day series of workshops and seminars at the
North Charleston Convention Center. The federal agency has chosen North
Charleston - along with Allentown, Pa., and Portsmouth, Va. - to
participate in a pilot program that pairs federal agents with local law
enforcement to target drug dealers who have infested neighborhoods.

Once the dealers have been ousted, the DEA hopes the lessons learned during
the seminar will help community groups rebuild the foundation of their
neighborhoods to prevent the drug dealers from moving back in.

"DEA is known for and takes pride in its success in dismantling drug
trafficking organizations," said DEA Administrator Asa Hutchinson, who will
be in North Charleston today. "In addition, we are also focusing on setting
up community coalitions so that, side-by-side, we can put drug enforcement
awareness, prevention and treatment programs in place, creating the ongoing
partnerships necessary to making a lasting impact in the neighborhoods
across North Charleston."

While North Charleston has always targeted drug dealers, the extra push of
involving the community once the dealers have been removed could make the
difference, said police Chief Jon Zumalt.

"All across the country, law enforcement and communities have done a good
job of going after drug dealers, but we haven't been able to find a
long-term solution to the problem," he said. "As long as people want to use
drugs, there will drug dealers."

In North Charleston - where police responded to more than 138,000 calls,
making 8,600 arrests last year - city leaders say the chance to gain
expertise from leaders in the industry is an opportunity not to be missed.

"Fighting crime is not just a law enforcement issue, it's a community
issue," said Mayor Keith Summey. "We are using this as another tool to make
the community more aware, prepared and be more reactive."

Many say they are tired of the city's tarnished image when it comes to
crime. "It doesn't make me real proud or happy as long as I have to read
about the crime in North Charleston each morning in the local paper," said
Councilman A.C. Mitchum.

"We need to get to the bottom of the types and numbers of crimes we have in
North Charleston and figure out why we have them. Until we change that, we
are never going to change the image of the city."