DRUG ENFORCEMENT
Statewide Narcotics Action Plan
Issued January 1988
Revised March 1993
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March 12, 1993
TO:
ALL MEMBERS OF THE NEW JERSEY LAW ENFORCEMENT COMMUNITY
Re:
The 1993 Statewide Narcotics Action Plan
It is with a sense of great anticipation that I announce the release
of the 1993 Statewide Narcotics Action Plan. This plan is the
product of a Working Group representative of the law enforcement
community in New Jersey. Using the Statewide Action Plan for Narcotics
Enforcement of 1987 as a starting point, the Working Group solicited
input from recognized leaders in law enforcement and from professionals
associated with Corrections, the Judiciary, Education, Health
and other disciplines. The information received was compiled into
a source document by the Working Group. Specific areas were highlighted,
from which the Directives included in this document were developed.
A draft plan was then reviewed by the Working Group before submission
to the Director of the Division of Criminal Justice and to me.
Illegal narcotics and narcotics-related crime affect our communities,
our workplaces, our government institutions and our schools. It
directly impacts each citizen's standard of living and the State's
economy. Accordingly, as Attorney General, I have made narcotics
enforcement the number one priority for every law enforcement
agency in the State. A comprehensive plan, executed by dedicated
enforcement personnel at the State, county and local levels is
our best hope for success.
The 1993 Statewide Narcotics Action Plan reaffirms the original
Action Plan's commitment to mobilize the State's enforcement assets
to identify, investigate, prosecute, convict and incarcerate narcotics
criminals at all levels of the distribution chain. The 1993 Action
Plan goes one step further, by identifying and refining programs
and enforcement techniques which have proven successful. The Weed
& Seed and Community Policing programs, unheard of in 1987, now
form a principle part of our efforts against narcotics traffickers
in 1993.
I would like to extend my appreciation to all of those people
who participated in the process leading to the release of the
1993 Action Plan. Further, I wish to express my continuing confidence
that all of the recipients of this Plan will execute its directives
to the best of their abilities. The citizens of New Jersey have
the right to expect nothing short of our best efforts in this
critical endeavor.
|
| Robert
J. Del Tufo
Attorney General |
CHAPTER
I
PERSPECTIVE
The Statewide Action Plan for Narcotics Enforcement (hereinafter,
The Action Plan or The Narcotics Action Plan of 1987) was published
in October 1987. The Action Plan complemented the Comprehensive
Drug Reform Act passed by the Legislature and signed by the Governor
in July 1987. The Drug Reform Act provided for determinant sentences
for drug offenses, added new offenses that reflected public policy
regarding the drug menace and enhanced penalties for certain repetitive
criminal conduct. Common to both the Action Plan and the Drug
Reform Act was an emphasis on the conduct of juveniles.
The law also enabled New Jersey to enhance drug prevention efforts
through the imposition of the new Drug Enforcement and Demand
Reduction (DEDR) penalty. The DEDR penalties are dedicated, by
the Drug Reform Act, to fund the Governor's Alliance to Prevent
Alcoholism and Drug Abuse--a network of community-based education,
prevention and treatment initiatives. The local Alliance network
is viewed as the fundamental instrument for community attention
and action in preventing drug and alcohol use by community youth.
The Action Plan established 103 directives, 36 guidelines, 8 strategic
objectives and 23 tactical objectives for narcotics enforcement
operations around the State. Its strategic objectives were:
- to
put every actor along the drug distribution chain at enhanced
risk of identification, apprehension, swift prosecution and
stern punishment;
-
-
to
target repeat offenders, large scale or prolific distributors,
upper echelon members of organized trafficking networks, manufacturers
and persons who distribute to, or employ juveniles in, drug
distribution schemes for investigation and prosecution;
-
to
eliminate open and notorious commercial drug transactions;
-
to
discourage all persons, and especially young people, from
using or purchasing illicit substances and to discourage the
misnomered concept of "casual" and "recreational" drug use;
-
to
prevent, or to delay as much as possible, students' exposure
to the use of illicit substances;
-
to
eliminate all drug presence and distribution activities from
established school safety zones and to provide a secure environment
conducive to education;
-
to
disrupt organized drug trafficking networks by targeting key
network members;
-
to
reduce the profit margins currently enjoyed by drug trafficking
networks by (1) reducing drug demand and (2) increasing perceived
and actual "overhead" costs associated with operating the
network and avoiding detection and stern punishment.
These
objectives were to be met by a strategy which called for the establishment
and enhancement of county task forces; for the use of interagency
task forces; for enhancing the patrol, investigation, asset forfeiture
and prosecution functions; for instituting programs to protect
youth, specifically in school "safety zones"; and for increasing
training, coordination and grant availability.
All New Jersey law enforcement agencies were provided directives
for narcotics enforcement activities. The primary agencies cited
in the Action Plan responsible for narcotics enforcement were
municipal and county police, the Statewide Narcotics Task Force,
the Division of State Police, the Division of Criminal Justice,
County Prosecutors, County Sheriffs and the New Jersey Narcotic
Enforcement Officers Association. The County Prosecutors were
designated to have primary responsibility for implementing all
of the directives and guidelines established within their respective
counties.
In order to facilitate and manage the Action Plan, an Implementation
Plan was developed. The Implementation Plan created nine working
groups, each of which monitored and provided policy input regarding
the directives and guidelines related to its area of expertise.
The directives were to be accomplished over f our phases, each
lasting six months. A final report based upon the activities of
the working groups and site visits with the County Prosecutors
was prepared in 1989. Although the objective of some directives
was not obtained, general compliance with the Action Plan was
accomplished.
To address a core goal of the Action Plan and the Drug Reform
Act, the School Zone Narcotics Enforcement Working Group prepared
the Drug-Free School Zone Enforcement Guide. The guide was published
under the auspices of the Attorney General and the Commissioner
of the Department of Education and included three documents: Attorney
General Executive Directive 1988-1 entitled, Law Enforcement Operations
On or Near School Property: School District Guidelines for Cooperation
with Law Enforcement Authorities; and A Model for an Agreement
Between Education and Law Enforcement Officials. These documents
provided the policies for interaction and cooperation between
law enforcement and school officials. Included were guidelines
under which law enforcement personnel could conduct undercover
operations in the schools and guidance about police presence at
schools or school functions, arrest protocols, joint training,
dispute resolution, and the referral of matters by school officials
to law enforcement authorities. The Model Agreements were required
to be executed between all school districts and the appropriate
police agencies.
The Drug-Free School Zone Enforcement Guide and the Model Agreements
are the practical guides to school zone enforcement efforts and
are reflective of the very successful partnership between law
enforcement and educational communities to achieve the goal of
protecting New Jersey's youth from drug sales. First published
in 1987, the Model Agreement was revised in 1992 to also address
violence in schools and, particularly, the presence of guns. At
the publication of this document, more than 80 percent of the
public school districts in the State had executed the Revised
Model Agreement.
The impact of the Action Plan and Drug Reform Act was immediate.
Drug arrests rose in the second half of 1987 and throughout 1988
and 1989. Between 1986 and 1989, drug arrests rose, statewide,
by 71 percent. In some counties, the number of arrests doubled.
All counties reported increases.
Significantly, certain types of drug arrests have remained consistent
from 1988 to 1990. School zone arrests rose from 1,375 in 1987,
to 6,582 in 1988, and to 9,497 in 1989. In 1990, 8,750 school
zone arrests were reported; 1991 indicates a certain leveling
off with about 8,400 arrests reported. This reflects a continuing
effort to enforce the drug-free school zone policy of the Action
Plan.
Supplementing New Jersey's narcotics enforcement plans were the
federal Anti-Drug Abuse Acts of 1986 and 1987 which made significant
funds available to the various states for Drug Control and System
Improvement. The Action Plan served as New Jersey's required submission
to the U.S. Department of Justice for a comprehensive drug control
strategy as a prerequisite to funding. In New Jersey, these narcotics
block grant funds were received, administered and distributed
by the Division of Criminal Justice. More than 90 percent of the
federal funds received were distributed to county and municipal
law enforcement agencies.
The most recent New Jersey submission, the New Jersey Statewide
Strategy for the Fiscal Year 1992 Drug Control and System Improvement
Formula Grant Program, dated December 1991, adds the following
to the comprehensive strategy:
The key component of New Jersey's Statewide Drug Control Strategy
is the Multi-Jurisdictional Task Force operation . . . to augment
the Task Force Program, a community policing initiative has
been added to this year's strategy . . . in addition, funding
continues to support court and correctional initiatives . .
.
The Narcotics Action Plan of 1987 impacted significantly on other
government agencies. In particular, the judiciary and corrections
were faced with new demands. The statewide strategy was required
to comprehensively address the enforcement-courts- jail-treatment
continuum. The Administrative Office of the Courts reported a
40 percent increase in the number of indictments between 1987
and 1989. Programs were initiated to meet the new demands. In
1989, the Chief Justice established drug courts by transferring
Superior Court judges from civil to criminal court. Additionally,
a program called Expeditious Processing of Narcotics Cases was
initiated in seven counties.
The Department of Corrections reported that, between 1987 and
1989, the percentage of those incarcerated for narcotics- related
crimes rose from 15 to 24 percent. The group of inmates most likely
to engage in recidivistic conduct, those in need of drug abuse
treatment, constituted over 60 percent of the inmate population.
To meet this problem, the New Jersey Department of Corrections
adopted a Comprehensive Substance Abuse Treatment Plan in 1989.
Also, alternatives to traditional incarceration have been explored;
the Juvenile Campus Program has been implemented and the Juvenile
Boot Camp is being developed.
The Juvenile Campus Program is one among a broad spectrum of programs
supported by federal narcotics block grant funds. Law enforcement,
the judiciary, corrections and community-based initiatives all
benefit from the funding. Among the programs funded are those
listed below.
Juvenile
Campus Program
The Juvenile Campus Program is a residential, seven-day-a- week,
24-hour-a-day, service program for juveniles who have been adjudicated
as offenders with ongoing substance abuse problems. The program
provides four to eight months of treatment. The residents spend
half of the day working and half in an academic or vocational
school, five days per week. Intensive counseling is an integral
element of the program.
Comprehensive
Correctional Drug Treatment Program
This program provides comprehensive substance abuse treatment
to drug-addicted offenders at five juvenile correctional facilities.
Treatment is based on the TRAP model and includes three phases:
Orientation, Treatment and Re-Entry. The treatment usually lasts
approximately one year.
Intensive
Parole Drug Program
This program provides an opportunity for the State Parole Board
to release inmates who have a history of drug involvement at their
first eligibility date. The supervision includes an assessment,
within five days after release, to determine the need for treatment
and to establish a supervision plan and monitoring level. Thirteen
parole officers carrying a maximum caseload of 25, are assigned
to the program. One salutary effect is the reduction of the prison
population while maintaining intense inmate management at 20 percent
of the cost of incarceration.
Narcotics
Intervention Program (NIP)
The Narcotics Intervention Program is a supervisory program that
combines the efforts of probation officers and community volunteers
in Middlesex County. Inmates are drug tested prior to release
at either a parole hearing or bail hearing. Upon release, if the
inmate is admitted into the NIP Program, a NIP officer is assigned
to that inmate. NIP volunteers assist the parole officer by monitoring
the defendant's participation in the program. An example of a
volunteer's duty would be contacting an employer on a daily basis
to ensure regularly scheduled employment hours are being kept
by the former inmate.
Seth
Boyden Model Drug-Free Housing Project
New Jersey has instituted a model drug-free/community revitalization
program for public housing residents at Newark's Seth Boyden Housing
Project. This initiative is a comprehensive approach involving
enhanced police presence, education, treatment and community/tenant
participation. Many departments in state government--Law and Public
Safety, Education, Health, Community Affairs and Corrections--are
working together with the Tenants' Association, the Newark Housing
Authority and the federal Housing and Urban Development Authority
to improve the quality of life for residents at the complex.
Operation
Green Giant
Operation Green Giant is a Division of Criminal Justice program
designed to encourage the use of asset forfeiture as an added
strategy in narcotics investigations. The program supports the
work of specialized accountant investigators and analysts who
work on cases with the potential for significant asset seizure.
The investigators and analysts are used to identify assets, primarily
through financial analysis, which might otherwise go undiscovered.
These investigations are cooperative efforts between Criminal
Justice and the Division of State Police. The program's resources
are available to municipal and county law enforcement agencies
for case assistance or for training.
Weed
and Seed
Trenton, New Jersey, was selected as a pilot site for the United
States Department of Justice's Weed and Seed Program. This program
combines law enforcement efforts and social and rehabilitative
resources in a mutually supportive and dependent methodology.
The program "weeds out" crime from targeted neighborhoods through
the use of concentrated law enforcement efforts aimed at removing
and incapacitating violent criminals and drug traffickers. At
the same time, it "seeds" the targeted sites with a wide range
of crime and drug prevention programs and human service agency
resources.
Police/Community
Partnership Program
New Jersey is expanding the Weed and Seed strategy through the
Police/Community Partnership Program. Anti-drug abuse block Grant
funds are being used to implement this program in urban centers
throughout the State. The program is based on the Weed and Seed
concept and incorporates the four basic components of Weed and
Seed: (1) the Violent Offender Removal Program, (2) the Community-Oriented
Policing Program, (3) the establishment of Safe Haven/Community
Centers and (4) neighborhood revitalization.
Expeditious
Processing of Narcotics Cases
This program addresses the increased volume of drug cases by funding
"drug courts" in seven counties (Essex, Hudson, Mercer, Middlesex,
Morris, Ocean and Passaic). These grants fund judicial support
staff to accommodate the transfer of judges from the civil to
criminal courts. The program contains both pre- and post-indictment
components.
Narcotics/Court
System Improvement Program
The Narcotics/Court System Improvement Program provides funding
for judicial support staff in f our counties (Essex, Hudson, Mercer
and Middlesex) where one additional judge was transferred from
civil to criminal court. Additionally, state court system improvement
is directed toward the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC)
and Department of the Public Advocate/Office of the Public Defender
(OPD). The AOC effort is geared toward Criminal Systems Automation
Improvement. Funding provides additional staff and equipment to
integrate the county correctional system and PROMIS/GAVEL. OPD
efforts center on the addition of staff and support costs to enable
the office to initiate early screening of drug cases and participation
in the development of alternatives to incarceration.
Treatment
Assessment Service Center (TASC)
TASC grants are funded in five counties (Atlantic, Gloucester,
Essex, Monmouth and Union). TASC is a pre- disposition drug use
detection and monitoring program. Counties had previously lacked
an established system of substance abuse assessment, urine monitoring,
referral and placement into treatment centers. Grant funds allow
for the hiring of a TASC evaluator and for contracting for urine
testing.
Drug-Free
Workplace (Department of Law and Public Safety)
This project serves as a model for addressing substance abuse
by state employees. The primary activities are training employees
regarding policy and guidelines, providing supervisors with training
and skills needed to comply with policy and guidelines, monitoring
the effectiveness of the employee advisory service, and addressing
and resolving grievances associated with the policy.
Drug
Diversion Unit
The Drug Diversion Unit conducts proactive and reactive criminal
investigations and prosecutions of the diversion of pharmaceutical
prescribed and controlled dangerous substances into the illicit
market. The Unit supports the regulatory investigative function
in the critical review of diversion allegations; provides the
coordination of cases, dissemination of information and training
for county investigators on the subject of diversion; investigates
and prosecutes large-scale diversion schemes; and investigates
and prosecutes cases which may have a significant impact on the
professional community or on the public.
Computerized
Criminal History Upgrades
For fiscal year 1992, the Bureau of Justice Assistance had required
that a minimum of 5 percent of the total block grant funds be
devoted to improve the quality of automated criminal justice records.
The set-aside will be split between the New Jersey Department
of Treasury, Office of Telecommunications and Information System
(OTIS), and the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC). OTIS
will redesign the New Jersey Computerized Criminal History System
to increase the accuracy and completeness of criminal history
information. AOC will streamline and interface the PROMIS/GAVEL,
County Corrections Information and Automated Complaint systems.
County
Narcotics Task Forces
The 21 County Narcotics Task Forces in New Jersey are dedicated
to increasing the ability of county and municipal criminal justice
agencies in the removal of specifically targeted drug offenders
and drug networks. The Task Forces utilize multi jurisdictional
operations to combine the intelligence, personnel and enforcement
resources of county, local, state and federal law enforcement
agencies. The utilization of multi-jurisdictional operations has
resulted in amenable relationships developing across law enforcement
agencies as well as the targeting and solving of drug cases that
cross law enforcement jurisdictions.
Commission
to Deter Criminal Activity
The Commission to Deter Criminal Activity was legislatively enacted
in 1984 to educate the public about criminal statutes for the
purpose of deterring criminal behavior. The Commission, composed
of law enforcement officials, elected officials and private citizens,
has been instrumental in developing and distributing demand reduction
materials statewide. The Commission is also involved in initiatives
regarding bias crime and cultural diversity.
Many of these described programs are consistent with the National
Drug Control Strategy, published annually by the federal government.
The stated goal of the National Strategy is to reduce drug use.
The federal block grant and discretionary grants have been employed
in New Jersey to meet that goal.
In addition to federally funded programs, other programs using
state, county and local resources have been initiated. Beginning
in 1987, state law enforcement agencies, with the cooperation
of education officials, introduced the Drug Abuse Resistance Education
Program into New Jersey schools. Known more commonly as D.A.R.E.,
the program trains police officers in an established curriculum
that those officers then teach in their local schools. D.A.R.E.
emphasizes values and positive decision- making processes. In
1988, D.A.R.E. started with the training of six State Police officers.
Currently there are more than 900 state, county and municipal
officers certified to train the D.A.R.E. curriculum. Since 1990,
the State Police has trained close to 500 of those individuals.
This is the second largest number of trained officers in any state
in the nation.
Since 1986, the Division of Criminal Justice has conducted periodic
surveys. Entitled Drug and Alcohol Use Among New Jersey High School
Students (hereafter, the High School Survey), the surveys measure
the experience and opinions of high school students regarding
drugs and alcohol. The surveys may be used as a barometer of the
success of various programs undertaken to thwart drug and alcohol
use and abuse. The 1990 report, based on survey data collected
from 2,000 tenth through twelfth grade students, showed positive
trends. The percentage of students who have used an abusable substance
other than alcohol in their lives decreased, as did the percentage
of students who reported regular use of an abusable substance
other than alcohol.
To determine factors that explain trends, the High School Survey
also asks the students their opinions about factors preventing
substance abuse. The two highest ranking factors cited by students
were fear of physical harm and fear of trouble with the law. The
awareness elements of the various enforcement and prevention programs
should be credited for this trend.
The Statewide Narcotics Action Plan of 1987, sought to mobilize
all elements of the law enforcement community to both enforce
the Comprehensive Drug Reform Act and to carry that mobilization
to the communities, groups and agencies with whom law enforcement
interacts. The recognized limits to law enforcement authority
required that the State establish a mechanism for comprehensively
melding the enforcement, prevention and rehabilitation interests.
Thus, in 1989, the Governor's Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse
was established. Included as members were representatives of the
Attorney General; the Judiciary; and the Departments of Health,
Corrections, Education and Community Affairs. The Council publishes
the Comprehensive Statewide Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Master Plan.
An updated Master Plan is to be published annually. Among the
Council's responsibilities are the review and coordination of
all State departments' efforts regarding drug and alcohol abuse.
The purpose of the Governor's Council is to provide a forum which
allows for a comprehensive approach to drug abuse issues. This
is based on the recognition that single-pronged approaches do
not work. This strategy allows for the cross-fertilization of
ideas among the disciplines and results in a holistic, coordinated
and effective solution to drug abuse in New Jersey.
The Attorney General's 1993 Statewide Narcotics Action Plan (hereafter,
Action Plan II) is built on the experiences and successes of the
past five years. From the 1987 Action Plan to the 1992 Comprehensive
Master Plan, New Jersey has remained at the national forefront
in drug enforcement and deterrence. Further, the resource that
law enforcement brings to the ultimate goal of demand reduction
has been reinforced by a continuing comprehensive strategy. For
that reason, Directive 1.1 from the 1987 Action Plan has been
adopted without change in the 1993 Action Plan II.
Directive
1.1: It shall be the responsibility of all sworn law enforcement
officers, operating through their appropriate chain of command,
to cooperate with public and private organizations within their
respective communities for the purpose of developing and implementing
education, prevention and public awareness programs designed to
reduce the demand for illicit substances.
CHAPTER 2
LAW ENFORCEMENT DIRECTIVES
The dynamics of the implementation of The Narcotics Action Plan
of 1987 demonstrated an enthusiastic response from all disciplines
within the law enforcement community. The implementation process
resulted in the submission of ideas and recommendations for modifications
of the directives in the original Action Plan. Correspondingly,
experience demonstrated that, despite good efforts, some guidelines
and directives could not be accomplished. That experience has
been incorporated into Action Plan II.
Those directives which require continuing effort have been adopted
into the Action Plan II. Many of the original directives have
been successfully accomplished and require no restatement in this
document. Accordingly, there are fewer directives in Action Plan
II. Nevertheless, Action Plan II's foundation remains firmly rooted
in the accomplishments of the Narcotics Action Plan of 1987.
Like the Narcotics Action Plan of 1987, the Action Plan II does
not create any never-before-conceived tactic or strategy. The
tactics and stratagems set forth in both plans are derived from
the experience of patrol officers, detectives, investigators and
prosecutors. The objective of both Plans is to harness that experience,
identify the priorities, mobilize law enforcement resources and
continually assess the effectiveness of law enforcement activities.
Like the Action Plan, the Action Plan II recognizes that law enforcement
resources are finite, perhaps more so in 1993 than in 1987. It
also recognizes that directives, no matter how many or how substantive,
and no matter how completely achieved, are not the totality by
which the drug problem will be met and overcome. Law enforcement
is a single resource among many. Government agencies that address
education, treatment and prevention must muster and organize services.
Concepts of community, neighborhood and the family institution
are all necessary components to achieve success.
The law enforcement component is looked to for leadership and
to hold the line. While the devastation drug abuse can bring to
a person and family is very tragically personalized, public safety
is still foremost on the minds of citizens. The linkage between
illegal drug activities and crimes against people and against
property is highlighted every day. Despite the dimensions of the
problem, the public expects a best law enforcement effort.
Finally, while crime prevention and detection remain principal
objectives of law enforcement, law enforcement plays a significant
role in the treatment process. An arrest can be a drug user's
opportunity to confront the problem. Drug testing as a condition
of a diversionary or probationary program opens the way to rehabilitation.
The role of law enforcement is critical to the success of both
the supply and demand side of the drug problem.
New Jersey's law enforcement structure is complex. In order to
study that structure and define with some particularity the roles
of the various agencies, in 1991, the Attorney General convened
the Law Enforcement Study Commission. The Commission was composed
of representatives of each type of law enforcement agency in the
State, and its purpose was to define the core responsibilities
of each type of agency. Using the Commission's Study as a reference,
and based upon five years of experience under the Action Plan,
the tasks of each participating agency under the Action Plan of
1993 can be identified.
Two law enforcement officers' associations provide valuable coordinating
and informational roles. The New Jersey Narcotic Enforcement Officers
Association (N.J.N.E.O.A.) continues to play a lead role in promoting
interagency communication and cooperation among New Jersey law
enforcement. The Association publishes a monthly bulletin and
conducts training seminars and conferences which reach a significant
number of New Jersey sworn officers. The County Task Force Commanders
Association plays an important role in the coordination and communication
between the county task forces, including providing training for
county and municipal narcotics officers.
Directives in this Chapter of the Action Plan II are organized
based upon their applicability to the participating agencies.
ALL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES
Directive
2.1: Narcotics enforcement is designated to remain the
number one priority for every New Jersey law enforcement agency.
Directive
2.2: All sworn law enforcement officers shall arrest any
person who commits a controlled dangerous substance offense, including
a disorderly persons offense, unless such action would jeopardize
an ongoing law enforcement operation or there is a compelling
public safety reason not to arrest.
Directive
2.3: Every law enforcement agency with five or more sworn
officers shall designate at least one officer as its narcotics
enforcement officer and shall submit the name of the designee
to the County Narcotics Task Force and to the Statewide Narcotics
Task Force. This officer shall, at a minimum, represent that agency
to the County Task Force and shall also assist the task force
when possible on major raids and in other enforcement activities.
To facilitate training and integration into Task Force methods
of operation, the designated officer should be assigned to the
County Task Force for a period to be determined by the municipal
chief and County Prosecutor.
Directive
2.4: The state, county and local law enforcement agencies
should work together to prepare and finalize within 90 days of
the release of this document a plan of action to attack the narcotics
problem within all communities with a population of 25,000 or
more (77 municipalities), incorporating strategies which best
suit the jurisdiction. The plan is to be implemented and in force
for a period of one year and shall thereafter be evaluated in
light of plan objectives. The plan must include directed overall
strategies (Task Force participation, drug education, etc. ) and
should include strategies that address problems particular to
the jurisdiction. These strategies must be developed by municipalities
with the concurrence of the County Prosecutor. County strategies
must be developed with the approval of the Attorney General. (See
Directive 2.26).
Directive
2.5: All law enforcement agencies must comply with the
regulations governing the distribution of forfeited property and
proceeds.
Directive
2.6: All law enforcement agencies must comply with the
Attorney General's guidelines, issued periodically, addressing
the acquisition, management and disposition of forfeited property.
Directive
2.7: A Drug Abuse Resistance Education Program shall be
introduced by local, county and state law enforcement agencies
in every municipality.
THE
STATEWIDE NARCOTICS TASK FORCE
The Statewide Narcotics Task Force serves as the Attorney General's
coordinating agent in all matters relating to narcotics enforcement.
The Statewide Narcotics Task Force is responsible for the investigation
and prosecution of major narcotics networks and for specialized
narcotics enforcement, including asset investigation, the application
of analytical techniques and information gathering and sharing.
It is also responsible for developing statewide narcotics policy
and initiatives. The Task Force coordinates statewide law enforcement
activities in the schools and statewide implementation of this
document and attendant strategies. Through agreement with varied
federal agencies, the Task Force is responsible for coordinating
specialized narcotics enforcement programs across the State. The
Task Force receives, distributes and monitors federal block grant
and discretionary grant funds. The Task Force also surveys, conducts,
arranges and develops training courses in matters related to narcotics
enforcement for law enforcement officers. The Task Force monitors
Action Plan II.
DIRECTIVES
TO THE STATEWIDE NARCOTICS TASK FORCE
Directive
2.8: The Attorney General shall continue to maintain a
Statewide Narcotics Task Force comprised of Division of State
Police and Division of Criminal Justice personnel, with liaison
participation from all County Task Forces and selected other entities,
including federal enforcement agencies.
Directive
2.9: The Statewide Narcotics Task Force shall work with
the County Narcotics Task Forces in the development of specific
criteria for selecting targeted drug offenders or offenses which
reflect the statewide narcotics crime problem and law enforcement
priorities.
Directive
2.10: The Statewide Narcotics Task Force is responsible
for overseeing the implementation of law enforcement strategies
and reporting to the Attorney General on the progress of those
strategies.
Directive
2.11: There shall be an exchange of information among
all law enforcement agencies to enhance ongoing investigations
and prosecutions. The Statewide Narcotics Task Force shall be
responsible for implementing the mechanism to ensure this process
which will be put in place within six months of the adoption of
this plan.
Directive
2.12: The Statewide Narcotics Task Force shall encourage
and assist in the development of information sharing by all County
Task Forces through the existing framework and mechanism provided
by the Middle Atlantic/Great Lakes Organized Crime Law Enforcement
Network (MAGLOCLEN).
Directive
2.13: The Statewide Narcotics Task Force is responsible
for developing a plan to collect and analyze data and to produce
tactical and strategic analytical products which will be disseminated
to authorized law enforcement agencies.
Directive 2.14: The Statewide Narcotics Task Force shall
ensure that adequate narcotics training is being provided on a
statewide basis. A training assessment of current and needed training
will be done within 60 days. The Task Force will survey the County
Prosecutors, the New Jersey State Police, the New Jersey Narcotic
Enforcement Officers Association, the Task Force Commanders Association
and the Division of Criminal Justice, and the Police Training
Commission to perform this analysis.
Directive
2.15: A program will be developed within 120 days of the
release of this document based on the assessment prepared for
Directive 2.14 to ensure the availability of comprehensive narcotics
training. This program will rely upon existing resources.
Directive
2.16: The ALERT Unit of the Statewide Narcotics Task Force
will assist in all searches of suspected clandestine laboratory
sites to ensure compliance with protocols for the safety of investigators
and the public.
Directive
2.17: The Statewide Narcotics Task Force shall be notified
of all existing and future contracts or formal agreements entered
into by the counties or municipalities with federal agencies.
Directive
2.18: An Executive Board, comprised of the Working Group
members convened by the Attorney General to assist in preparing
the Action Plan II, shall convene quarterly, or as otherwise required
by the Attorney General, to review the implementation of Action
Plan II. The Statewide Narcotics Task Force shall provide staffing
to the Executive Board and shall conduct surveys and site audits.
Directive
2.19: Any failure to comply with any directive contained
in Action Plan II will be reported through the Statewide Narcotics
Task Force to the Attorney General for his review and action.
THE COUNTY PROSECUTORS' OFFICES
The County Prosecutors, as the chief law enforcement officers
within their respective jurisdictions, have primary responsibility
to ensure that all of the directives of this document are properly
enforced and implemented within their counties. All narcotics
enforcement conducted by municipal or county law enforcement agencies
shall be coordinated with the County Narcotics Task Force. The
County Prosecutors have the lead role in regard to narcotics enforcement
within their respective counties and all multi-jurisdictional
municipal narcotics enforcement is to be coordinated with the
County Narcotics Task Forces. The County Prosecutors' Offices
also coordinate county-level law enforcement demand reduction
programs in the schools. The County Prosecutors are responsible
for the vigorous enforcement of the Comprehensive Drug Reform
Act of 1987 within their jurisdiction.
DIRECTIVES
TO THE COUNTY PROSECUTORS' OFFICES
Directive
2.20: The County Prosecutors shall coordinate all narcotics
enforcement activity within their counties and ensure the implementation
of this Action Plan II within their jurisdictions.
Directive
2.21: Within 60 days of the release of this document,
all County Prosecutors' Offices shall complete an assessment of
current law enforcement personnel within the county devoted to
narcotics enforcement and shall forward that assessment to the
Statewide Narcotics Task Force which shall report to the Attorney
General on same within 30 days thereafter.
Directive
2.22: County Prosecutors shall maintain County Narcotics
Task Forces and each police department, as specified in Directive
2.3, shall participate in the task forces. The County Prosecutor
is responsible for overseeing the supervision of the County Task
Force.
Directive
2.23: The County Prosecutors' Offices shall each maintain
a computerized data system which shall include names, identifiers,
criminal specialties, associates, arrest records and other relevant
criminal data on all those persons known to be, or reasonably
suspected of being, involved in narcotics distribution, transport,
manufacturing or ancillary, narcotics- related criminal activity.
This data shall be made available to assist other law enforcement
agencies in their investigations. The data shall be submitted
to MAGLOCLEN consistent with procedures developed by MAGLOCLEN
working with the Statewide Narcotics Task Force.
Directive
2.24: "Reverse sting" operations (enforcement sales to drug
buyers) shall be conducted only on targets suspected to be drug
distributors. Prior to initiating this investigative process,
contact with other law enforcement agencies possibly operating
in the jurisdiction should be undertaken.
Directive
2.25: Each County Prosecutors' Office shall assign an
assistant prosecutor to supervise all forfeiture actions within
the jurisdiction.
Directive
2.26: The County Narcotics Task Forces shall assign a
member as the operational liaison to the Statewide Narcotics Task
Force. This member will be responsible for coordinating requests
for data and other joint operational activities.
Directive
2.27: Each County Narcotics Task Force shall:
- develop
criteria to identify and prioritize investigative targets
operating within the county;
-
-
determine
the most effective and efficient deployment of resources;
-
determine
those strategies which are best employed within the county
based on demographics, geographics;
-
assign
cases for investigation;
-
identify
law enforcement resources dedicated to narcotics enforcement
within the county;
-
maintain
liaisons with the various County Task Forces.
Directive
2.28: Each county narcotics task force should adopt an
operational plan incorporating the elements of Directive 2.27
within 90 days of the release of this document.
Directive
2.29: The County Narcotics Task Force shall be advised
about and review all municipal narcotics investigation initiatives.
Such initiatives are to be consistent with the local and county
strategic plans (See Directives 2.4 and 2.27).
Directive
2.30: County Narcotics Task Forces shall analyze data
on high drug trafficking areas and transmit that analysis to the
Statewide Narcotics Task Force to support the development of statewide
analysis of drug trafficking areas.
Directive
2.31: Each County Narcotics Task Force shall identify
all airports, public storage facilities and marinas within its
jurisdiction and shall provide the information to the Statewide
Narcotics Task Force. The information shall be updated as required.
Each County Narcotics Task Force shall establish a liaison with
each airport, public storage facility and marina and shall provide
awareness information to the employees of those facilities regarding
drug trafficking indicators.
Directive
2.32: County Narcotics Task Forces shall update municipal
police departments concerning current narcotics case law development
and issues involving litigation and procedures concerning forfeiture
actions.
Directive
2.33: County Narcotics Task Forces shall ensure that school
zone enforcement policies are executed.
MUNICIPAL
POLICE DEPARTMENTS
Municipal Police Departments remain the first line of enforcement
of the narcotics laws and are responsible for patrol, surveillance
and investigative functions. Municipal police are key to the Drug-Free
School Zone Enforcement and are responsible for patrolling the
schools and for providing a police presence at extracurricular
school activities. They provide law enforcement programs, including
D.A.R.E., in the schools. Municipal police are responsible for
between 65 and 80 percent of all narcotics arrests in this State.
Many of those arrests are for offenses carrying enhanced penalties.
Their cooperation with, and support of, the County Narcotics Task
Forces is critical to the effectiveness of those organizations.
DIRECTIVES
TO MUNICIPAL POLICE DEPARTMENTS
Directive
2.34: Municipalities shall identify local drug market
locations and routinely patrol those areas and roadways. The locations
of drug markets and drug transportation corridors shall be reported
to the County Narcotics Task Forces to support the task forces'
targeting of high drug crime areas.
Directive
2.35: Municipal police departments shall enforce school
zone enforcement policies.
Directive
2.36: Municipal police departments shall ensure that school
zone maps are redrawn and amended as necessary.
Directive
2.37: The chief municipal law enforcement officer shall
carry out the mandates of the Drug-Free School Zone Enforcement
Guide and shall revise and execute the A Model for an Agreement
Between Education and Law Enforcement Officials.
THE
DIVISION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE
The Division of Criminal Justice fills a dual role of enforcement
and oversight in narcotics law enforcement. By law, all the functions,
powers and duties of the Attorney General relating or pertaining
to the enforcement and prosecution of the criminal business of
the State and of any county of the State are exercised by the
Attorney General through the Division of Criminal Justice. The
Division maintains a general supervision over the County Prosecutors
to obtain effective and uniform enforcement of criminal laws.
Through the implementation of the Action Plan II and federal Drug
Control and System Improvement Grant, the Division is responsible
for developing, implementing and evaluating criminal justice and
multi-disciplinary, narcotics- related programs. The Division,
in conjunction with the County Prosecutors, implements and monitors
policy. The Division, as part of the Statewide Narcotics Task
Force, is responsible, in partnership with the Division of State
Police, for investigating and prosecuting complex narcotics cases,
as well as cases having statewide significance, and for investigating
and litigating asset forfeiture matters.
DIRECTIVES TO THE DIVISION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE
Directive
2.38: The Division of Criminal Justice shall pursue civil
forfeiture actions against assets which are the fruits of, or
were used to further, illicit drug trafficking activities.
Directive
2.39: The Division of Criminal Justice shall amend the
manual on Civil Forfeiture within 90 days and will distribute
that manual to all County Prosecutors' Offices.
Directive 2.40: The Division of Criminal Justice shall
monitor the implementation of forfeiture laws and ensure their
uniform application around the State. The Division shall designate
a Deputy Attorney General to answer questions from County Prosecutors'
Offices on forfeiture issues.
Directive
2.41: The Division of Criminal Justice shall appoint a
Deputy Attorney General to provide advice upon request to the
County Prosecutors concerning the Comprehensive Drug Reform Act
and to assist the County Prosecutors in the preparation of briefs
and the conduct of litigation arising under the Act.
Directive
2.42: In conjunction with the Statewide Narcotics Task
Force and the County Prosecutors, the Division of Criminal Justice
will undertake an ongoing study of the impact of the Comprehensive
Drug Reform Act on charging, case disposition and sentencing practices;
state and county prison population projections; and speedy trial
goals.
Directive
2.43: The Division of Criminal Justice shall continue
to conduct the drug and alcohol survey of high school students.
Directive
2.44: A Grants Administration Unit shall be maintained
within the Division of Criminal Justice which shall be responsible
for coordinating, monitoring, evaluating and facilitating all
law enforcement grant applications. This Grants Administration
Unit will maintain liaison with federal grantor agencies and will
notify county and local agencies of the availability of federal
and state law enforcement grants.
Directive
2.45: The Division of Criminal Justice, in conjunction
with the County Prosecutors' Offices, shall develop guidelines
governing prosecutorial charging discretion and guidelines for
the imposition of mandatory sentences.
THE NEW JERSEY STATE POLICE
The Division of State Police is responsible for narcotics enforcement
in more than 70 jurisdictions not served by municipal police departments.
In those jurisdictions, they serve as the "local" police agency.
The State Police patrols the highways and are charged to interdict
the flow of narcotics into, through and throughout the State.
Through its participation in the Statewide Narcotics Task Force,
the Division of State Police, in partnership with the Division
of Criminal Justice, detects investigates and arrests drug offenders,
and are particularly responsible for targeting conspiratorial
groups and significant drug traffickers operating within the State.
The Division provides training, information, intelligence and
resources to other law enforcement agencies.
DIRECTIVES
TO THE NEW JERSEY STATE POLICE
Directive
2.46: The Division of State Police shall conduct a drug
interdiction program with an emphasis toward targeting large scale
movement of narcotics.
Directive
2.47: Directives 2.34 through 2.37 shall be carried out
in those municipalities in which the State Police serves as the
local enforcement agency.
Directive
2.48: The Division of State Police will continue training
for, and coordination of, the Drug Abuse Resistance Education
(D.A.R.E.) Program throughout the State of New Jersey and provide
the D.A.R.E. Program in those schools for which local officers
are not available.
Directive
2.49: The Division of State Police, through the Statewide
Narcotics Task Force, shall provide assistance to County Narcotics
Task Forces, including intelligence data to assist those agencies
in planning strategies.
Directive 2.50: The Division of State Police, through
its forensic laboratories, shall assist in the analysis of evidence
seized during arrests for narcotics violations and shall annually
report trends indicated by analysis and collation of test data.
Directive
2.51: The Division of State Police shall monitor the implementation
of the D.A.R.E. Program statewide and shall provide an annual
report about the program to the Attorney General.
THE COUNTY SHERIFFS
The County Sheriffs in each county have responsibility for security
at the courthouses and other county facilities. In many counties,
the Sheriffs are responsible for county jail operations. In addition
to having county-wide identification and recordkeeping responsibilities
f or criminal offenders, the Sheriffs have provided resources
for narcotics enforcement, including officers and specialized
service units.
DIRECTIVES
TO THE COUNTY SHERIFFS
Directive
2.52: In those counties in which the County Sheriff has
directed personnel to participate in narcotics enforcement, those
resources shall assist the County Narcotics Task Force and coordinate
activities with it.
Directive
2.53: The County Sheriff shall assist in arresting, fingerprinting
and processing accused drug offenders and shall notify the County
Prosecutor and members of the Prosecutor's staff about outstanding
warrants.
Directive
2.54: The County Sheriff periodically, but at least two
times per year, shall undertake and coordinate a county- wide
sweep, based upon reliable information, to arrest drug offenders
on outstanding bench warrants.
Directive
2.55: The County Sheriff shall provide the County Narcotics
Task Force and municipal police departments with available specialized
services, including canine units and special weapons and tactical
team services when needed.
CHAPTER 3
LAW ENFORCEMENT PROGRAMS
New Jersey has been a fertile ground for the development of innovative
initiatives during the past five years. Many of these have been
developed through the award of discretionary grants from the United
States Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance, or
through the sub-grant development process of the Drug Control
and System Improvement Formula Grant Program. Others have been
developed without the benefit of additional funding, representing
innovative problem response by law enforcement officers.
This chapter focuses on law enforcement cooperative programs generated
by the State, counties and municipalities. Some of these program
examples should be considered in drafting the required local and
county strategies.
COOPERATIVE
STATE PROGRAMS
Statewide
Initiative on Non-Traditional Organized Crime Groups
In 1990, the Statewide Narcotics Task Force began to emphasize
investigation of narcotics activity conducted by so- called "non-traditional"
organized criminal groups, i.e., Colombians, Jamaicans, Asians.
At that time, the Division of State Police began to focus on identification
and investigation of entire narcotics networks.
In order to better accomplish this task, the Division consolidated
its Organized Crime Bureau and Narcotics Bureau to create the
Criminal Enterprise and Racketeering Bureau (C.E.R.B.) . This
institutional change was made in recognition of the fact that
large-scale narcotics trafficking is conducted by organized criminal
enterprises best attacked through application of New Jersey's
racketeering statutes. The creation of C.E.R.B. in 1991 effectively
increased the manpower of the Statewide Narcotics Task Force by
more than 40 additional detectives.
Active
Laboratory Emergency Response Team (ALERT)
The Active Laboratory Emergency Response Team (ALERT) Program
is a cooperative program with the Drug Enforcement Administration,
the New Jersey State Police, the New Jersey Department of Environmental
Protection and Energy, county and local law enforcement, and law
enforcement in contiguous states. It was funded by the United
States Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance, and
by the State of New Jersey.
ALERT began in 1988 and had the initial goals of providing safety
training and equipment for enforcement officers in the Attorney
General's Statewide Narcotics Task Force and in County Narcotics
Task Forces who were responsible for the interdiction of clandestine
drug laboratories. These laboratories often contain toxic chemicals
and must be carefully dismantled in accordance with federal Occupational
Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements. Once the
safety training was provided and proper clothing and equipment
were issued, the Division of State Police ALERT Unit, including
trained entry personnel, narcotics specialists and forensic chemists,
was prepared to respond to all requests for laboratory interdiction
in the State.
For the safety of all concerned, a protocol was established that
no laboratories in the State should be seized without the guidance
of the ALERT specialists. A key to this process is the active
participation of the Department of Environmental Protection and
Energy. That Department is responsible for assessing the hazard
and gross cleanup of laboratory sites.
In the second phase of ALERT, which began in 1991, the group became
a proactive investigative force to identify and target clandestine
laboratory operations. In this phase, a Regional Laboratory Enforcement
Group was established, made up of representatives from New Jersey,
Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania and New York. The purpose of
this regional group was to share information, techniques and investigative
resources among these contiguous states since many persons involved
in clandestine laboratories are known to operate across state
lines. ALERT, then, is both a multi-disciplinary (enforcement
and environmental protection) and a cooperative effort.
ALERT
Contact:
Detective Sergeant Joseph Zeno
Criminal Enterprise and Racketeering Bureau
Division of State Police
(609) 530-3415 |
Domestic
Cannabis Eradication/Suppression Program
The Domestic Cannabis Eradication/Suppression Program is funded
by the Drug Enforcement Administration and run by the Division
of State Police. The State Police is designated as the lead agency
in New Jersey to coordinate investigations with county and local
police in order to oversee all marijuana eradication efforts here.
The program also includes conducting investigations into the indoor
cultivation of marijuana, a program known as "Green Merchant."
During the first quarter of 1992, more seizures occurred than
in the entire calendar 1991.
Domestic Cannabis Eradication/Suppression Contact:
Detective John Silver
Criminal Enterprise and Racketeering Bureau
Division of State Police
(609) 530-3415
National
Guard
The New Jersey National Guard (New Jersey Department of Military
and Veterans Affairs) has entered into a cooperative agreement
with the New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety to provide
technical equipment and assistance on narcotics cases under certain
conditions. The assistance is available to all law enforcement
agencies in the State. Requests must be submitted through the
Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Statewide Narcotics
Task Force.
Under the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding, National Guard
support may include loaning equipment, transportation of law enforcement
personnel, training and advising civilian law enforcement officials
in the operation and maintenance of military equipment, and the
transporting of equipment or confiscated contraband. The Memorandum
of Understanding has been in effect since 1989.
Department of Law and Public Safety Contact:
Supervising Deputy Attorney General Donald Campolo
Statewide Narcotics Task Force
(609) 530-3401
Operation
Green Giant
Operation Green Giant is a program designed by the Division of
Criminal Justice to encourage the use of asset forfeiture in narcotics
investigation. Trained financial investigators and analysts participate
in cases with the potential for seizure of significant assets.
The asset investigators and analysts are used to detect assets
which are unlawfully possessed and acquired and which can then
be seized and forfeited. These cases represent cooperative efforts
between Criminal Justice and the Division of State Police, and
between the Statewide Narcotics Task Force and County Narcotics
Task Forces.
Green Giant also provides asset investigative and analytical support
to various urban initiatives, including Weed and Seed in Trenton
and the GANG/IMPACT Task Force in Camden.
Green Giant Contact:
Supervising State Investigator Walter Braxton
Statewide Narcotics Task Force
Asset Investigations Unit
(609) 530-3400
Transportation
Network Interdiction
In early 1990, the New Jersey State Police adjusted its interdiction
strategy to target large shipments of cocaine transported in tractor-trailers
from the western United States.
Information indicated that cocaine was being shipped into the
United States through Mexico by truck, then warehoused, and then
split into smaller loads, transported and warehoused or sold around
the country. The trucking companies used have been found to have
ties to narcotics trafficking cartels. More detailed intelligence
gathering and analysis led to the uncovering of particular companies,
driver profiles, and common routes used, staging areas, vehicle
profiles, and common smuggling areas in the trailers. The United
States Drug Enforcement Administration and the Federal Bureau
of Investigation worked with the State Police on the interstate
aspects of a nationwide investigation.
Transportation Network Interdiction Contact:
Detective Sergeant First Class Bruce Bidwell
Criminal Enterprise and Racketeering Bureau
Division of State Police
(609) 530-3415
Operation
Reduction Of Alcohol And Drugs Statewide Through Interdiction,
Detection and Education (ROADSIDE)
The Division of State Police is funded by the Highway Safety Administration
to support a truck interdiction and public awareness campaign
in New Jersey.
In ROADSIDE, teams of State Police personnel are deployed to geographic
locations such as weigh stations, highways and motels, or parking
lots frequented by truckers. Inspections are conducted based upon
evidence of violations. These inspections increase the chance
of interdicting narcotics and have become an avenue by which additional
informants can be developed.
Educational packages have also been developed for distribution.
These make people aware of some of the indicators of interstate
smuggling and encourage them to contact the State Police if they
suspect illegal activity.
Operation ROADSIDE Contact:
Sergeant David Cope
New Jersey State Police Field Operations
(609) 882-2000
High
Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA)
HIDTA is the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Program developed
by the federal Office of National Drug Control Policy. It provides
funds to five areas in the country which include the New York
Metropolitan Area. New Jersey recipients of current HIDTA funds
are the Bergen, Essex, Hudson and Union County Narcotics Task
Forces, and the Division of State Police.
These funds are being used to support the North Jersey Initiative
on Heroin Trafficking and Violent Drug Gangs. This initiative
includes the Narcotics Task Forces of the four covered counties
as well as the Special Projects Unit of the Division of State
Police. These organizations, in turn, work closely with federal
and local agencies. All of the agencies will be participating
in regularly scheduled information sharing conferences in which
they will update each other on their progress and define areas
of cooperation that are needed.
As a spin-off to the HIDTA effort, the Hudson. and Bergen County
Prosecutor's Offices are applying for a Regional Drug/Prosecutions
Unit grant from the Department of Justice which would fund an
analytical/enforcement planning unit to direct a combined task
force of county and local personnel to target non- traditional
organized crime heroin trafficking groups.
Various federal agencies in New Jersey are also funded by the
HIDTA Program; including the Drug Enforcement Administration,
the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Customs Service.
The overall coordinator of the HIDTA Program in New Jersey is
the United States Attorney's Office in Newark.
State/County HIDTA Contacts:
Captain Vincent Modarelli
Division of State Police
(609) 530-3080;
Linda J. Tartaglia
Division of Criminal Justice
(609) 984-0055;
Captain Albert Mellone
Bergen County Prosecutor's Office
(201) 646-2300;
Captain William Luzzi
Essex County Prosecutor's Office
(201) 621-4670;
Captain James Lorenzo
Hudson County Prosecutor's Office
(201) 795-6400; and
Captain William Jagusak
Union County Prosecutor's Office
(908) 527-4500.
Camden
GANG IMPACT Task Force
The Camden GANG IMPACT Task Force focuses on long-range investigations
into significant gangs and drug networks. The IMPACT Task Force
focuses on shorter-term, street-level investigations into gangs,
drugs and drug-related violence. Both task forces are supported
by an intelligence function designed in cooperation with the Department
of Law and Public Safety. These task forces were created as part
of a Memorandum of Understanding between the participating agencies
which was executed in April 1992.
The Divisions of Criminal Justice and State Police, the Camden
County Prosecutor's Office, the Camden City Police Department,
the Camden County Sheriff's Office, and federal agencies, including
the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco
and Firearms; the U.S. Marshall's Service; and the Drug Enforcement
Administration are participants in this two-tiered approach to
controlling drug- and gang-related violence in Camden.
Camden GANG IMPACT Task Force Contacts:
Thomas Kelly
Camden County Prosecutor's Office
(609) 757-8465;
Detective Richard Carlin
Criminal Enterprise and Racketeering Bureau
Division of State Police
(609) 767-2198
COOPERATIVE
COUNTY/LOCAL PROGRAMS
Border
Anti-Drug Team (BADT)
The Border Anti-Drug Team (BADT) is a multi-jurisdictional task
force developed by the Middlesex and Somerset County Prosecutors'
Offices to address the problem of an urban narcotics supply center
frequented by customers from bordering counties. The Team was
first deployed on the Franklin (Somerset County)/New Brunswick
(Middlesex County) border and included personnel from both Prosecutors'
Offices, the Franklin Township Police Department and the New Brunswick
Police Department.
The main strategy was a cooperative effort among the four agencies
to eliminate geographic enforcement boundaries which were often
used by drug suppliers to avoid apprehension. The BADT targeted
street-level dealers, particularly those who sold to the occupants
of passing automobiles. In this enforcement effort, both the sellers
and the buyers were targeted and arrested. The two-fold goal of
interrupting the ongoing distribution network and to discourage
customers from other areas was realized as the efforts resulted
in a significant number of arrests, weapons and drug seizures.
The concept was adopted in Plainfield, Union County, with the
participation of the Plainfield Police Department, the Union County
Prosecutor's Office, the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office,
the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office, the North Plainfield
Police Department, the Piscataway Police Department and the South
Plainfield Police Department. This effort was also very successful,
resulting again in a significant number of arrests, drug seizures
and forfeitable property.
Border Anti-Drug Team Contact:
Major Robert Mikell
Somerset County Prosecutor's Office
(908) 231-7100;
Assistant Prosecutor Ronald G. Kercado
Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office
(908) 745-3300; and
Deputy Chief David Regal
Union County Prosecutor's Office
(908) 527-4500
Tactical
Narcotics Team - Monmouth County (TNT)
The Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office instituted a Tactical
Narcotics Team in 1991, modeled after one used in Miami, Florida.
It included personnel f rom the Monmouth County Narcotics Strike
Force, the Monmouth County Sheriff's Office, the Asbury Park Police
Department and the Neptune Police Department.
The objective of the program is to place significant law enforcement
resources into known high-volume drug areas. Buyers, as well as
drug sellers, are placed at risk if observed by the TNT.
The program worked in five phases--target selection, intensive
intelligence gathering, aggressive enforcement, maintained police
presence and intermittent follow-up. During the target selection
phase, citizen groups were contacted and told of the overall plan.
The program met with enthusiastic community support.
TNT's first initiative was in Asbury Park and included four major
drug trafficking spots. Among the strategies employed was the
positioning of an officer as a spotter near a known spot for dealing.
Upon observing drug deals, the officer would radio his colleagues
to apprehend the buyers he described. The TNT's efforts also netted
dealers of cocaine.
The Tactical Narcotics Team Program continued through 1992 in
Asbury Park, Freehold and Red Bank. It was funded, in part, by
the narcotics block grant to the Monmouth County Narcotics Strike
Force.
Monmouth County TNT Contact:
Assistant Prosecutor Donald Peppler
Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office
(908) 431-7160
Tactical
Narcotics Team - Middlesex County (TNT)
The Middlesex County Narcotics Task Force developed a Tactical
Narcotics Team to reduce drug sales at mid- and street levels,
maintaining control of affected areas through sustained enforcement.
Its objectives were:
- to
eliminate the open market and visible drug sales occurring
at problem locations in Middlesex County;
-
-
to
identify narcotics traffickers using the Task Force Police-Kar
intelligence system;
-
to
target those traffickers, sellers and users for arrest and
prosecution;
-
to
identify and target career criminals for arrest, prosecution
and enhanced penalties;
-
through
local police departments, to enhance a public awareness campaign.
Some
strategies used by the Middlesex County TNT include the evaluation
of selected target areas, including high drug intensity areas
and community concerned areas, the development and use of intelligence,
the use of asset forfeiture, and the follow-up of TNT activities
by local police saturated patrol. Local police also offer assistance
through attendance at community meetings and by helping to organize
neighborhood watches. Since the inception of the Middlesex County
TNT Program, over 540 arrests have been made.
Middlesex County TNT Contact:
Assistant Prosecutor Ronald G. Kercado
Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office
(908) 745-3300
Drug
Market Analysis Project
The objectives of the Drug Market Analysis Project are to implement
computer mapping capabilities within the police department, to
identify and assess computer needs in the department, and to disseminate
information to law enforcement agencies regarding appropriate
methods of controlling drug trafficking. The program assists street-level
enforcement by systematically collecting and using information
on drug enforcement markets. Data on tips from the community,
arrest records, calls for service and community surveys are funneled
into a mapping program. Information on the type of drug and the
sales techniques are also incorporated. Strategies are then developed
which reflect the type of activity occurring within that drug
market.
The Jersey City Police Department, Hudson County, is one of five
sites around the country which received Bureau of Justice Assistance
funding to implement a computer information system that centralizes
location-specific knowledge about drug trafficking. The project
is being done in cooperation with Rutgers University.
The first phase of the project was to develop methods for gathering
data and for compiling and integrating information from separate
data bases. That phase has been completed, and the Jersey City
project is currently in the phase of developing and testing strategies
in targeted markets and in controlled markets.
Drug Market Analysis Contacts:
Captain Frank Gajewski
Jersey City Police Department
(201) 547-4310; and
Dr. David Weisburd
Rutgers University
(201) 648-5204
Operation
Spinal Cord
Operation Spinal Cord is a program begun by the Middlesex County
Prosecutor's Office which focuses on the Route 1 Transportation
Corridor between Plainsboro and Woodbridge. U.S. Route 1 is a
major central New Jersey travel artery. The program's goal is
to interdict narcotics traffickers and to develop information
from the transporters on the distribution networks in which they
are involved. To support the operations, communications have been
set up among participating police agencies. Joint training has
been given, and several municipalities are now using drug detection
canines to support their responses to the road stops. Information
on activities is shared among the departments, and it is judged
to be an effective multi-jurisdictional program.
Operation Spinal Cord Contact:
Assistant Prosecutor Ronald G. Kercado
Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office
(908) 745-3300
DEA/Local
Task Forces
On numerous occasions, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
of the U.S. Department of Justice works investigations jointly
with state, county and/or local police. One of the mechanisms
for this cooperation is the DEA Drug Enforcement Task Force. Participation
in the Task Force is usually tied to a particular investigation
being undertaken. Officers from agencies are then called upon
to be assigned to the DEA Task Force. Some County Narcotics Task
Forces also have DEA liaisons assigned to them. In this way, the
free flow of information and coordination occurs through all levels
of narcotics law enforcement.
CHAPTER 4
DRUG EDUCATION DIRECTIVES AND PROGRAMS
During a survey of what drug programs municipal officials believed
to be the most effective, Police Chief James L. Barnum of Franklin
Township, Gloucester County, said, "Public awareness and education
within the school system is our last hope of effectively controlling
this social (drug) problem." That survey, of over 500 municipalities,
showed an overwhelming response by police officials in favor of
drug education programs, with particular emphasis on law enforcement
drug education programs in the schools.
The 1990 Drug and Alcohol Use Among New Jersey High School Students
Report has revealed encouraging trends in our schools regarding
drug use. Between 1986 and 1989, the number of students reporting
ever having used cocaine dropped by 51 percent, the number reporting
ever having used marijuana dropped by 35 percent and the number
reporting ever having used heroin dropped by 33 percent. These
declines are reflective, in part, of law enforcement and drug
awareness education programs in the schools. In addition, the
New Jersey Department of Education has instituted mandatory K-12
drug curriculum.
The Department of Education conducts an annual survey entitled
"The Drug and Alcohol Local Program Elements Survey." Among the
data sought is the number of students referred for drug and/or
alcohol treatment. The Comprehensive Statewide Alcoholism and
Drug Abuse Master Plan, prepared by the Governor's Council on
Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, reported that 32,553 students in grade
level 7 through 12 were referred for assistance; almost 4,800
students in grade level K through 6 were referred.
While the High School Survey indicated progress on casual use
of drugs among students, those students using drugs and needing
assistance remain at an unacceptably high level. Additionally,
neither of these surveys were reflective of use by a high-risk
group--school drop-outs. Therefore, actual usage of illegal substances
may be significantly higher among student-aged persons than reflected
in those reports.
The Action Plan encouraged the coordination of demand reduction
activities by the Attorney General's Office and suggested the
development of drug prevention courses and related instructor
training programs. This Action Plan II reflects the progress which
has been made on drug prevention in the schools and expands that
concept to include similar programs for parents and community
members. It is reflective of the nearly universal support for
drug education which was voiced by the group which provided input
for this report.
DRUG EDUCATION DIRECTIVES
The directives relating to police presentations in the schools
are to be fulfilled in compliance with the Model Agreement Between
Education and Law Enforcement Officials, dated March 25, 1992,
Article 3.1, Law Enforcement Participation in Educational Programs,
Section C, which provides:
. . . no law enforcement officer shall be permitted to provide
a course of instruction to students unless the officer has been
invited or requested to provide such course of instruction by
the appropriate school official, or the course of instruction
has otherwise been approved by the appropriate school official.
Directive 4.1: All police agencies are required to participate
in drug education activities within their jurisdictions.
Directive
4.2: Each County Prosecutor's Office shall designate a
law enforcement school education coordinator.
Directive
4.3: Each County Prosecutor's Office shall make available
to schools in the county a block of in-service drug instruction
for school employees.
Directive
4.4: Law enforcement and educators shall train and heighten
the awareness of school students, school staff and parents of
school students on drug issues, including drug law, privacy issues
and Attorney General policies.
Directive
4.5: Every law enforcement agency shall provide required
information for the Annual Drug Abuse Resistance Education Report.
DRUG EDUCATION PROGRAMS
The following are brief summaries of several drug education programs
currently in use in New Jersey. There are others that are localized
to a particular school district or county that were not included,
but nonetheless may be viable, productive programs.
Drug
Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.)
The Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) Program began in
1983 in Los Angeles, California, but did not start receiving national
attention until the late 1980s. It is designed to equip elementary
school-aged children with the skills necessary to resist peer
pressure to experiment with drugs, alcohol and tobacco. D.A.R.E.
is now used in 49 states and at least six foreign countries. In
New Jersey, there are currently over 900 trained D.A.R.E officers.
The D.A.R.E. Program began by implementing 17 weekly sessions
in grades 5 and 6. It now includes all grade levels, K- 12.
The results of the D.A.R.E. Program have been very positive. A
1989 survey of D.A.R.E. students in Los Angeles showed that 100
percent indicated that they would be more likely to say no to
drugs and alcohol as a result of the program.
In New Jersey, a D.A.R.E. Association has been formed. D.A.R.E.
training, a requirement for all D.A.R.E. officers, is offered
several times a year.
DARE Contact:
Sergeant James Eden
New Jersey State Police
(908) 449-5200
Defenders
Against Drugs (D.A.D)
Defenders Against Drugs (D.A.D) is a program initiated by the
Union County Prosecutor's Office which targets kindergarten through
fourth grade school students and encourages them to "say no" to
drugs. D.A.D is sponsored by the New Jersey Narcotic Enforcement
Officers Association and the Union County Prosecutor's Office.
Training aids used include D.A.D pledge cards, D.A.D badges, patches,
membership cards, book covers and certificates. The program has
been presented in 12 of the State's 21 counties. The D.A.D Program,
which began in 1986, also has monthly radio shows and newspaper
columns on aspects of the anti-drug abuse program in Union County.
D.A.D Contact:
Lieutenant Leo J. Uebelein
Union County Prosecutor's Office
(908) 527-4500
Greater
Ocean Opposes Drugs (G.O.O.D.)
Greater Ocean Opposes Drugs (G.O.O.D.) is the Ocean County Prosecutor's
comprehensive demand reduction effort. This program is funded
by the Prosecutor's Office. Its message is relayed via television,
billboards, bumper stickers, video tapes, in-person presentations,
booths at fairs, coloring books, posters and even restaurant placemats.
The anti-drug message is given in the schools, to senior citizens,
to churches, to service organizations and to corporations.
G.O.O.D. Contact:
Prosecutor Daniel Carluccio
Ocean County Prosecutor's Office
(908) 929-2027
Crime
Prevention/McGruff
Just as law enforcement has recognized that a concerted and coordinated
effort must be undertaken to lessen the hold of drugs on our society,
so the education/prevention effort has seen that crime prevention,
in general, goes hand in hand with demand reduction.
The National Crime Prevention Council Program, McGruff ("Take
a Bite Out of Crime"), has been expanded to include a drug abuse
prevention component. There are McGruff anti-drug video messages,
audio cassettes, drug abuse computer software programs and drug
education materials.
McGruff Contacts:
Lieutenant Donald Wactor
Orange Police Department
Essex County
(201) 266-4140; and
Michael J. Renahan
Police Bureau
Division of Criminal Justice
(609) 984-7644
CHAPTER 5
MULTI-DISCIPLINARY PROGRAMS
The Action Plan was designed to comprehensively mobilize state
law enforcement resources. That effort necessarily impacted upon
all facets of governmental and community life. While police activity
and police presence certainly act to suppress drug activity and
crime, there are simply too few officers available to provide
continued diligence. Limited police resources, coupled with the
demands of other police responsibilities, such as traffic control
and emergency responses, necessarily require a community-based
response to temporary police presence. The community must develop
a mechanism to prevent drug abuse in their neighborhoods. Community
responsibility must provide an alternative. Obviously, while police
are part of that solution, they cannot be the entire solution.
While the police are the first step in protecting the neighborhood,
much depends on the continued participation of the community.
Drug education, treatment and prevention must have an environment
in which to flourish. Returning from a treatment facility to a
neighborhood in which drugs are openly available is a prescription
for failure.
Derivatively, once a healthy, anti-drug environment is established,
a corresponding decrease in all crimes can be anticipated. In
order to make that type of progress, a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary
approach is essential. Such programs start with police presence
that gives established education, treatment and prevention plans
an opportunity to work.
Through federal grants, state funding, reallocation of resources
and local initiative, several programs incorporating the multi-discipline
method have been attempted. They can serve as models of agency
and community cooperation.
MULTI-DISCIPLINARY DIRECTIVES
Directive 5.1: All law enforcement agencies shall participate
in multi-disciplinary programs to the fullest extent resources
allow.
Directive
5.2: All law enforcement agencies shall work with other
agencies to develop and implement multi-disciplinary approaches
to community crime problems.
MULTI-DISCIPLINARY PROGRAMS
Weed
and Seed
Weed and Seed is a Trenton program funded by the United States
Department of Justice, the Attorney General of New Jersey and
the agencies participating in the program. It represents a comprehensive
and integrated approach to addressing violent crime, drug abuse,
and deteriorating social and economic opportunities within the
community. Weed and Seed recognizes, through the program's steps,
that communities did not deteriorate overnight and that reclaiming
them takes planning and time. The first task, "weeding," is the
infusion of intensive law enforcement resources to remove and
incapacitate violent criminals and drug traffickers from targeted
neighborhoods and housing projects. This task is done by the Violent
Offender Removal Project (VORP) Task Force, consisting of federal,
state, county and municipal law enforcement personnel. The program
targets repeat offenders and seeks maximum exposure to criminal
penalties. For example, persons involved in drug activity who
are arrested in possession of a weapon can be prosecuted under
the federal statutes which carry significantly enhanced penalties.
The second task, stabilization, employs a Community-Oriented Policing
Program run by the City of Trenton Police Department. The program
provides foot patrols in four designated "safe haven" areas. Specially
trained officers provide liaison to community groups to identify
neighborhood problems and effect solutions. Support of community
town watches is also a part of the community policing component.
The third task, "seeding," provides economic, educational and
social opportunities. These programs are developed by the participating
state, federal and local agencies in conjunction with community
organizations. The programs include safe haven after-school programs,
student tutoring and urban development. This initiative is designed
to strengthen legitimate community institutions, organize and
train citizens and resident groups, enhance home and apartment
security procedures, and undertake low- cost physical improvements.
Weed and Seed Contact:
Linda Tartaglia
Division of Criminal Justice
(609) 984-0055
Drug-Free
Housing Initiative
The State's model Drug-Free Housing Initiative has been in place
at the Seth Boyden Project in Newark since 1990. The program goal
is to provide a coordinated approach to reducing drug-related
crime resulting in a positive change in the quality of life for
the residents in that housing neighborhood. Similar to Weed and
Seed, the first program step was to establish a law enforcement
presence in the housing project. Thereafter, residents and participating
agencies collaborated to strategize an approach to reducing drug-related
crime. The program included demand reduction activities, counseling,
tenant empowerment and physical renovations.
An amalgam of agencies participate in the Project, including the
Newark Housing Authority, the Newark Police Department, the Seth
Boyden Tenants' Council, the Department of Corrections, the Essex
County Prosecutor's Office, the Newark City Administration, the
U.S. Housing and Urban Development Department, and the New Jersey
Departments of Health, Education and Community Affairs. The Division
of Criminal Justice, Law Enforcement Coordination and Planning
Section, acts as project director for the Drug-Free Housing Program.
Task-oriented subcommittees on security, physical improvements
and maintenance, resident leadership and training, social service
programs, youth development and school programs, lease enforcement,
and economic outreach and training have been established.
This Project draws upon existing available programs to support
its objective, including:
- D.A.R.E.
(Drug Abuse Resistance Education Program);
-
-
Youth
Development Program (Department of Health);
-
Primary
Mental Health Program (Department of Education);
-
Comprehensive
Assistance Program (U.S. Housing and Urban Development);
-
Security
and Substance Awareness Training (City of Newark);
-
Organization
Skills and Resident Leadership Training (Department of Community
Affairs);
-
Recreational
Program (Department of Corrections and Newark Board of Education);
-
Security
Guards in Elderly Buildings (City of Newark)
-
Renovation
Program (Department of Corrections and Newark Housing Authority);
-
Local-Level
Training Project (Juvenile Justice Unit, Division of Criminal
Justice).
Drug-Free Housing Initiative Contact:
Heddy Levine-Sabol
Division of Criminal Justice
(609) 292-1502
City
of Newark Initiatives - IDEA, Homestead and Fighting Back
"Operation
IDEA" was a joint operation between the New Jersey Department
of Law & Public Safety and the Newark Police Department intended
to focus law enforcement resources in a particular area of the
city. State Police personnel were assigned with Newark police
officers to highly visible patrols in designated high drug crime
areas. Additionally, the teams conducted surveillance, undercover
and "reverse sting" operations. Deputy Attorneys General were
assigned to expedite the cases resulting from arrests. There was
also coordination with the courts, public defenders, the Department
of Corrections, county correction agencies and the County Prosecutor's
Office. There were 672 arrests during IDEA, including 70 juveniles.
"Operation
Homestead" was instituted by the Newark Police Department as a
follow-up to the street sweeps of Operation IDEA. A comprehensive
Community-Oriented Policing Program in carefully targeted neighborhoods
and high-rise apartment complexes is the program objective. The
primary focus of Homestead is to disrupt drug trafficking and
other criminal activity through a highly visible and active uniformed
police presence. Homestead has been implemented without outside
funds; patrol support for the program has been received from the
Division of State Police. Five officers are assigned to patrol
a ten block area. Problem- oriented policing is practiced with
the officers becoming involved in a broad range of programs; local
police have literally moved into targeted buildings by working
out of apartments provided by building owners. They have created
mini- substations from which a host of police and community stabilization
activities can occur.
The results of Operation Homestead have been a decrease in crimes
against persons and property, including murder, rape, aggravated
assault, burglary, theft, motor vehicle theft, vandalism and robberies.
Block watch groups have been strengthened and "safe ways" have
been established. In the future, the Newark police intend to institute
community policing on a broader level, using mobile vans as mini
police stations.
"Fighting
Back" is the third component of the Newark program. This is funded
through a $3 million, five-year grant from the Robert Wood Johnson
Foundation. Newark is one of 15 cities around the country that
was considered for the grant. The objective of the program is
to develop a comprehensive plan to reduce the demand for illicit
drugs and alcohol through community control of behavior, rather
than through government intervention.
Newark Fighting Back has created a neighborhood coalition in one
neighborhood which includes:
- the
development of youth councils;
-
-
intensive
community supervision for juvenile offenders;
-
weekend
canteens at a local church for the 13-16-year-old age group;
-
late-night
basketball leagues;
-
community
support group for recovering substance abusers;
-
block
cleanups;
-
community
gardens;
-
field
trips for children;
-
increased
involvement at local recreation centers;
-
health
awareness workshops;
-
job
fairs;
-
single
parent support groups;
-
the
development of a resource directory of after-school opportunities
available in local schools and other youth-serving agencies.
In
addition, religious institutions and schools have opened their
doors beyond traditional hours to serve as meeting places for
residents. Tenant associations have been strengthened and residents
are referring neighbors to treatment.
IDEA and Homestead Contact:
Lieutenant Thomas Brennan,
Newark Police Department
(201) 733-6189
Fighting Back Contact:
Diana Bella
Boys' and Girls' Club of Newark
(201) 242-1800
The
Alliance System
The Alliance system was created by the Governor's Council on Alcoholism
and Drug Abuse. Its goal is to develop alcohol and drug abuse
prevention and public awareness programs and networks in every
municipality in the State. The Governor's Council provides technical
assistance, information, training and funding to the Alliances.
The Municipal Alliances are funded through the mandatory Drug
Enforcement Demand Reduction penalties required to be imposed
by the Comprehensive Drug Reform Act of 1986 on those convicted
for drug violations. As of December 1991, 441 of New Jersey's
567 municipalities had organized working Alliances. All Municipal
Alliances must include in their membership representatives from
the local government, the police, the health care community, business
schools and community organizations. School substance abuse coordinators
are active in all Alliances; parenting programs are an integral
aspect of Alliance programs; and community awareness programs
are supported, including youth activities, recreational programs,
drug and alcohol education, media campaigns, and community-based
celebrations.
The Municipal Alliances are linked to the county-level Local Advisory
Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse (LACADA). The LACADA develops
a county plan that addresses the need for alcoholism and drug
abuse services. In addition, a Governor's Alliance Summit is sponsored
yearly which showcases innovative alliance programming from around
the state.
Municipal Alliance Contact:
John Krieger
Governor's Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse
(609) 777-0535
Police/Community
Partnership Program
The Police/Community Partnership Program was developed by the
Division of Criminal Justice to meet the need for a statewide
response to urban violent crime. This program is receiving $5
million initial funding for fiscal year 1993 through the Drug
Control and System Improvement Block Grant from the United States
Department of Justice and was instituted in several cities during
the fall of 1992. Successful applicants are eligible to receive
second-year funding as well.
The program includes four component-objectives similar to those
of the "Weed and Seed" Program.
Violent Offender Removal Component: To develop a comprehensive
multi-agency strategy to target and apprehend street gang and
drug-trafficking criminals in target high- crime neighborhoods.
Community-Oriented Policing Component: To institute a Community
Policing Program in at least one target area that will involve
the mobilization of community residents to assist law enforcement
in identifying problems and proposing solutions.
Safe Haven/Community Center Component: To establish at least
one Safe Haven/Community Center in the target area that will
provide activities and programs for residents in a secure environment.
Neighborhood Revitalization: To develop and implement a plan
that addresses social and economic problems in the target communities
and to provide a comprehensive and focused framework under which
public agencies, the private sector, community organizations
and citizens can form partnerships to enhance public safety
and the overall quality of life.
Community Policing Partnership Program Contact:
Dennis O'Hara
Division of Criminal Justice
(609) 292-5939
Plainfield
Project
The Plainfield Project was begun by the Union County Prosecutor's
Office in cooperation with the Plainfield Police Department and
the county Victim-Witness Office. The Project is funded, in part,
by the State Office of Victim Advocacy.
The Union County Prosecutor's Office established a satellite office
to provide residents in the western portion of the county greater
access to County Prosecutor services. The satellite office is
staffed by an assistant prosecutor, an experienced investigative
supervisor and a victim witness counselor. The County Prosecutor
has made a five-year commitment to the program.
Training and technical assistance on management, narcotics training
and electronic surveillance training has been provided to Plainfield
Police Department personnel. Town meetings are attended by Prosecutor's
Office staff. Both the Prosecutor's Office and the local police
have worked with the community to develop town watch and demand
reduction activities.
One strategy employed targeted a known drug market location. Dealers
and crack houses were identified, probable cause to search and
arrest were established, but action was temporarily held in abeyance.
A weekend day was selected on which to arrest all dealers present,
serve all arrest warrants and interdict the crack houses with
search warrants. Cars parked illegally were towed, streets were
cleaned, and "stashes" hidden in bushes and other places were
swept into the gutters and washed away. Local police distributed
literature on home security, drug prevention and available treatment
services.
For several weekends thereafter, the local police distributed
literature and assisted in demand reduction activities in the
neighborhood. This had a positive impact on coalescing community
members.
Plainfield Project Contact:
Prosecutor Andrew Ruotolo
Union County Prosecutor's Office
(908) 527-4500
Operation
Schoolhouse
In 1990, the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office began Operation
Schoolhouse in Berkeley Township, Ocean County. In addition to
the law enforcement component, an education component, a housing
component and a demand reduction component were included in the
program.
Operation Schoolhouse began in a 45-unit apartment complex which
had a history of numerous drug arrests. Law enforcement conducted
several buy/busts, sell/busts and general sweeps in the area and
provided a "tip line" for use by residents of the complex.
This multi-disciplinary program began with an effort to start
after-school tutoring for students from the complex. That tutoring
occurred in the complex's community center, leased by the Board
of Education from the Housing Authority. Thus, the complex became
a drug-free school zone. The Prosecutor's Office assigned personnel
to be present for the evening hours of the tutoring to assure
that the program would not be thwarted by drug dealers. In addition,
the Prosecutor's Office purchased photo identification cards for
all the tenants and worked with the Housing Authority and Tenants'
Association to develop a visitors' policy.
The Housing Authority agreed to pursue the removal of tenants
convicted of drug offenses. The Authority also works with the
Tenants' Association to enlist their continuing support. The Ocean
County Jail made available a prisoner clean-up crew to clean the
grounds of the complex at the onset of the program.
Results of Operation Schoolhouse include a 77 percent decline
in the number of calls for service from the community during the
period Schoolhouse was running, compared to the immediately preceding
eight months. The program received the 1991 National Association
of Counties Achievement Award.
Operation Schoolhouse Contact:
Prosecutor Daniel Carluccio
Ocean County Prosecutor's Office
(908) 929-2027
Community
Responses to Drug Abuse (CRDA) Models
The National Crime Prevention Council in Washington, D.C. , has
completed a survey of neighborhood responses to the drug crisis.
The resultant publication, Creating a Climate of Hope, is a look
at ten programs, their strategies, their signs of success, contact
persons and a resource listing.
The communities studied were part of the Community Responses to
Drug Abuse initiative (1989-1991) funded by the United States
Bureau of Justice Assistance. Program guidelines required that
each model actively involve law enforcement, include a multi-
sector task force and have a locally designed work plan. In Hartford,
Connecticut, for example, the group, Hartford Areas Rally Together
(HART), was funded. The program allowed HART to develop an anti-drug
consortium that focused on:
- developing
a drug education curriculum;
-
-
creating
after-school activities for youth;
-
developing
treatment facilities for adolescents;
-
creating
drug-free subsidized housing;
-
strengthening
the partnership between the community and the police.
HART's results included dozens of drug houses being shut down,
crime statistics being lowered, over 1,000 young people being
involved in after-school programs, a 25 percent increase in summer
employment opportunities for youth and several hundred housing
units being rehabilitated.
Community Responses to Drug Abuse Contact:
National Crime Prevention Council
1700 K Street, NW, Second Floor
Washington, DC 20006-3817
(202) 466-6272.