NARCOTIC ARRESTS UP

BRISTOL -- Narcotic arrests in the city are up by about 20 percent this
year, due in part to the implementation of the police department's Crime
Suppression Unit almost one year ago and increased legwork by the
department's narcotics division.

"That's not to say there has been more narcotics activity, but we've been
more aggressive in going after them," said Sgt. Eric Osanitsch of the
narcotics division.

According to Osanitsch, the division has seen consistent use of heroin and
crack cocaine among area drug users, while synthetic drugs such as Ecstasy
and Oxycontin have gained popularity.

Oxycontin, a prescription painkiller, is often used by heroin users, but
can be hard for people to obtain, according to Osanitsch.

"I think most [users] would prefer Oxycontin because it's pure and it's a
certain dosage, but it's a limited supply," Osanitsch said, adding that
there can be 500 tablets of the drug available one week and none the next
because the supply is largely dependent upon forged prescriptions and
pharmacy thefts.

With heroin remaining the drug of choice for most local users, Osanitsch
said the division has investigated approximately six deaths suspected to be
heroin-related.

"We had a time there when we got more than usual early in the year,"
Osanitsch said. "The problem with heroin is you're not sure what you're
getting and some of it has been very strong, some of it has been up to 85
percent pure."

Police Chief John DiVenere said he is pleased with the effect the
department has had on local drug activity.

"We don't have the open-air drug markets we used to at Davis Drive and
Union Street," DiVenere said. "I remember driving down there in an unmarked
car and people surging up to us to sell drugs."

DiVenere said the creation of the CSU last November frees up three officers
to focus on a variety of duties, including narcotics arrests.

"The CSU officers don't have the responsibility to answer routine calls for
service," DiVenere said. "They are encouraged to go out and find things,
they spend a lot of time in our hot spots and working with narcotics to do
some surveillance, some stake-outs and some stings."

According to Osanitsch, the CSU officers making drug arrests means the
narcotics division detectives can focus on long-term investigations.

"They're doing more street-level interdiction while we're doing more
upper-level investigation," Osanitsch said, adding that the work of the CSU
"gives us intelligence on what's going on. Those [street-level arrests] are
vital to our investigation because everything builds from those arrests."

Osanitsch said drug investigations can be lengthy and require a lot of
patience by detectives.

"Our thrust right now, our main purpose is to get at the mid-level heroin
and cocaine dealer. It takes time to develop those cases, it could take
months. There's a lot that goes into it and you don't see results
immediately," Osanitsch said, adding that the work of the division is never
done because the people arrested on drug charges are quickly replaced by
other dealers on the street.

"Generally, there's always someone waiting to fill that void," Osanitsch
said. "There's a temporary lull, but in a couple of weeks, there will be
somebody else moving in."