DRUG RAIDS GO 'SMOOTH'

"A very successful operation" is how Rockwood Police Chief J.W. Cisson
described the work of the various agencies involved in a series of drug
arrests Thursday which led to the jailing of 37 people. The operation was
the culmination of eight months worth of police work and was prompted by
concerns from citizens made to Mayor Mike "Brillo" Miller and the City
Council about the increased drug activity in the city and passed on to
Cisson. "We just can't let those people continue to operate," Cisson said.
"We had to take action." City Councilman Jack McGuire agreed, saying, "We
haven't had a real crackdown in a while.

We were due for this. We're not going to let these things happen in the
city." Law enforcement officials from the Rockwood Police Department, Roane
County Sheriff's Office, County Constables and the Tennessee Bureau of
Investigation served felony warrants for drug possession with intent for
resale to those arrested. "There will be a few more arrests made tonight,
tomorrow and this weekend," Cisson said at a Thursday evening press
conference. Cisson commended the cooperation of the officers who worked
long hours rounding up the individuals slated for arrest.

He thanked the cooperation of Roane County Sheriff David Haggard and his
deputies, County Constable Calvin Trew and TBI agent Jason Legg, as well as
the officers in the Rockwood Police Department. Cisson said the department
received a lot of "good information," which helped lead to the arrests.

Rockwood Chief Investigator Bill Stinnett said later that the information
came from undercover informants on the streets who were purchasing drugs
from the subjects of the operation. "Everything went real smooth," said
Stinnett of the operation, which had officers serving warrants on suspects
all over Rockwood on Thursday. Police officials cautioned that their focus
on the drug activity would not end with Thursday's arrests. "This is a
priority of the mayor's," Cisson said. "We're not going to stop at this."
Miller also commended the work of the departments involved. "They've done
an excellent job," Miller said. "I went to them after the election and told
them we wanted to do something about (the drug problem). We're not going to
allow this in our town." Trew, who also serves on the Rockwood City
Council, said this was something the officers involved can be proud of.
"The officers have a sense now that they've really accomplished something."
Many of the suspects arrested were transported to the Roane County Jail by
a bus made available by the Sheriff's department. Haggard said having the
bus was instrumental in getting prisoners transported to the jail
efficiently, and that the jail staff also worked efficiently to get the job
done. "We had enough people at the jail (working) to handle the influx of
people," Haggard said.