A Bubble Off Plumb

I think I have mentioned before there have been many police officers in my family. Most have passed on, but I still have the utmost respect for a good cop and will bend over backwards to give any of them the benefit of the doubt.

That said, I have explored this week why cops in our little towns can’t run the open-air drug trade off the streets. I thought I understood why, and got some validation, but there are other reasons, too.

The biggest thing is that even when a resident sees suspicious activity – like in the little apartments near Centennial Park – police must meet a higher standard. I can say “That’s a drug deal and those people should be arrested,” but the police must have a warrant or a strong probable cause to investigate, search and arrest. After all, I wouldn’t like it if the police butted into my legitimate purchase of Mary Kay just because someone saw me exchanging money for a bag in the grocery store parking lot.

Drug dealers have the same rights as the rest of the public, guaranteed by our Constitution. It cuts both ways. Police can’t stop and search someone because of suspicion or dislike. There must be a legitimate reason, such as a strong smell or an outstanding warrant.

What else can be done? Report your suspicions. It creates a paper trail and may assist law enforcement in getting a warrant for a lawful search. Yes, it’s a pain to call every day or every few days, but by doing that, we can help law enforcement make this the kind of town we want.

That’s the answer. Keep on plugging away. See something, say something. Tell law enforcement what you see and suspect. They can’t do anything unless they know about it, and with enough stop and talk, enough officers cruising through areas of suspected drug activity, the water will get too hot and dealers will go elsewhere, or at least curtail their activities.