THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, January 30, 1997 TAG: 9701300355
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: JEFFREY S. HAMPTON, CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: ELIZABETH CITY LENGTH: 38 lines
A recent one-night sting that netted 21 arrests in a drug-ridden neighborhood was the result of cooperation between law enforcement agencies from local, state and federal levels called Operation Helping Hand.
City and state officials formally announced the program at a press conference Wednesday in the City Council Chambers just up the stairs from the Elizabeth City Police Department.
Elizabeth City is one of four cities in the state involved in the program. Eventually, Elizabeth City officials will receive a large part of Operation Helping Hand's $340,000 grant money.
``This is the first time in recent history that all levels of law enforcement worked together,'' Richard H. Moore, secretary of the state Department of Crime Control and Public Safety, said during the press conference.
``This is really what it's all about,'' said Moore. ``Giving people the reassurance that if they get involved something good will happen.''
The Elizabeth City Police Department, the Pasquotank County Sheriff, the State Bureau of Investigation and the N.C. Highway Patrol combined Jan. 17 to arrest 21 people charged with intent to buy cocaine. Those arrests were the first major effort of Operation Helping Hand.
Moore said Elizabeth City was among four small towns chosen from across the state to be part of the innovative program. The other three were Henderson, Monroe and Marion. The grant money went to small and medium sized towns that don't have the resources to target high-crime areas consistently, Moore said.
A plus for Elizabeth City is Councilwoman Anita Hummer's involvement in the Community Watch Groups. Part of the Operation Helping Hands program included keeping neighborhoods active in policing themselves and assisting police.
``It helped Elizabeth City to know there was an active Community Watch constituency here,'' said Moore.
KEYWORDS: DRUGS ILLEGAL STING ARREST