THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, February 16, 1997 TAG: 9702160126
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: NEWPORT NEWS LENGTH: 29 lines
Sixty people who had been paroled or were on probation landed in jail Friday after they failed surprise drug tests.
Department of Corrections officers in Hampton and Newport News gave urine tests for cocaine, heroin, marijuana and amphetamines to nearly 200 people, said Robert Bunn, chief probation and parole officer in Newport News.
The state launched the tests, called Operation Consequences, in the Richmond area in December.
Bunn said 118 offenders were tested in Newport News, and 38 tested positive for illegal substances. They were charged with violating probation or parole and jailed. Twenty-two of 58 offenders in Hampton reportedly were arrested after positive tests. Those in custody face having their parole or probation revoked and may be returned to jail or prison.
Officers directed the offenders to come in at a specific time Friday afternoon. Police brought in drug-sniffing dogs to assist.
In the first Operation Consequences, 235 offenders reported to their probation and parole offices in the cities of Richmond and Petersburg, and the counties of Chesterfield and Henrico, and 63 tested positive for illegal substances. There were 109 no-shows.
KEYWORDS: DRUGS ILLEGAL DRUG TEST PAROLE PROBATION