Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, April 17, 1990 TAG: 9004170681
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B1 EDITION: EVENING
SOURCE: MARGIE FISHER RICHMOND BUREAU
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Long
That was a major focus of reports issued today by law enforcement officials attending Gov. Douglas Wilder's statewide "summit on drugs."
The reports came out of Monday's tactical sessions, which were closed to the press and public, on such topics as investigative operations, intelligence gathering, apprehension and prosecution, incarceration, drug usage prevention and public education.
Virtually each session's report cited on-going "turf battles" as a hindrance to an effective "war on drugs" and called for better cooperation across local and regional lines and among local, state and federal agencies.
Several of the conference participants noted that neither the call for more cooperation nor for more financial resources is new. Fairfax County Commonwealth's Attorney Robert Horan said it's mostly "the same old theme songs I've been hearing for 20 years."
But Horan and others were optimistic that the focus on these problems in the highly-publicized setting of Wilder's conference could help.
"It's somewhat of a revival" of determination to deal with issues and win the war on drugs, said Wilder's Secretary of Public Safety Robert Suthard, who has presided over the drug conference.
Del. Clifton Woodrum, D-Roanoke, said he thinks it's going to be "a big help" that Wilder has brought together law enforcement people from all levels to discuss their problems.
One of the major themes coming out of the conference, Woodrum said, is that law enforcement officials need to do a better job of explaining to the public what the drug problem involves. "When you use `war' terminology, the public expects a fast and effective victory" and that is not likely to happen, he said.
The tactical-session reports include many specific recommendations that will require additional money - but Wilder has warned officials that they should not expect substantial increases in state funding.
Several recommendations would also require General Assembly action. Among these is that deputy sheriffs employed in one jurisdiction be allowed to pursue drug criminals and arrest them anywhere in the state they can catch them. There are also recommendations for harsher sentencing for drug-related crimes.
Ideas for coming up with more money for the war on drugs include the use of state lottery proceeds, allowing 100 percent of drug criminals' forfeited assets to stay in the local jurisdiction where they are confiscated, and increased fines and court costs for those convicted of drug-related crimes.
The conference is to conclude later today with another address by the governor.
Wilder, who has used the conference to strike a high profile as Virginia's "drug czar," is also expected to talk about the drug issue before the State Crime Commission this afternoon. Tonight he will appear on a Richmond television station's live call-in show to field questions from the public.
On Monday, Sussex County Sheriff E. Stuart Kitchen said law enforcement officials, particularly in more rural sections of Virginia, are being handicapped by shrinking state financial assistance at a time when they need more state help, not less, to fight drugs and drug-related crimes.
He likened the situation to the state saying, "It's time for the Normandy invasion, . . . but you're going to have to finance it by holding a bake sale."
U.S. Attorney General Richard Thornburgh told the law enforcement officers Monday night that drug abuse is not a victimless crime.
"With every drug purchase," Thornburgh said, "whether it's made on some dark urban street corner or behind a rustic rural barn, the transaction represents the last stage in a criminal business enterprise that, in terms of production, marketing and distribution, rivals even the most efficient of legitimate, multinational consumer businesses."
Thornburgh called for increased cooperation between the federal government and state and local law enforcement officials to fight drugs.
Through amendments to the state's budget, which must be approved by the General Assembly when it reconvenes Wednesday for the so-called "veto session," Wilder proposes to make available about $1.2 million to carry out programs that may be recommended at the drug conference.
The $1.2 million will be in addition to $2.4 million already approved by the legislature to establish "high-intensity drug crime zones" throughout the state, meaning the total available will be $3.6 million.
But "don't look for $3.6 million more," Wilder said Monday in summarizing his message to the law enforcement leaders.
Kitchen complained that in many counties, sheriff's departments are so understaffed that it is virtually impossible to free officers to focus on drug problems.
Where state policy has been to provide funding to rural communities to keep their law enforcement efforts on a par with more populous areas, Kitchen said state government is now backing away and shifting more of the financial burden to the local governments. Many rural counties lack the financial resources to make up the loss in state aid, and Kitchen said the cutbacks by the state are hitting at the time when more drug criminals are migrating into rural areas.
by CNB