DRUGS IN DAVIDSON

The arrest Dec. 12 of four law-enforcement officers on drug- distribution
charges is unfortunate. But such arrests should not be seen as occupational
hazards.

Some other professions that expose one to great temptation to break the law
acknowledge that need and provide for it. Lawyers, for example, who despite
great risks could raid clients' trust funds, seldom do. One reason is that
such professions require continuing education that includes ethics training.

The training is meant to function as a reminder that although technologies
and techniques often change, right and wrong remain constant.

Law-enforcement officers, however, do not get much continuing education in
ethics. Of the minimum 602 hours of training required to become an officer,
only four are devoted to ethics. And once sworn in, an officer must meet
some continuing-education requirements, but none in ethics.

It's worth the financial investment to require such training.

A lot of the responsibility for the officers' drug dealing lies with the
officers' superiors, Davidson County Sheriff Gerald Hege and the Archdale
police chief, Gary Lewallen.

Part of being at the top means being responsible for everything and
everyone below you. Both departments did the right thing in firing the
officers. Still, they need to re-examine their policies.

Hege appears to be making some changes, taking a cue from fellow sheriff BJ
Barnes of Guilford County. For example, Barnes rotates duties so that the
same officers aren't always handling drugs and money, and officers are
required to take drug tests every six months. Hege said that despite the
expense, he plans to include testing for steroids as well as testing more
often. The fired deputies had not been tested in two years.

Hege also has added deputies and will be among the officers supervising them.

At one point, Hege had assigned one of the deputies to investigate the
other for possible drug dealing. He said he had no way of knowing how
foolish that was. He should have known. Part of being "wide open 24/7,"
Hege's motto, is being aware of what's up, and with whom.

And perhaps Hege should take a tip from Ronald Reagan, "Trust but verify,"
rather than taking the deputies' denials at face value.