Laserfiche WebLink
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 1988 <br /> <br />I am sure it was a coincidence that two articles appeared in last <br />Sunday's Bulletin - less than a week before this meeting- in which <br /> "hel" <br />the need for p was detailed by the Police Chief in the area of <br />combatting the drug problem in Martinsville. As Mr. Cole correctly <br />quoted from that article in his letter to other members of this <br />Council dated September 5, 1988, one of.the four factors there <br />reportedas needing to be addressed to overcome illegal drug <br />activities was the "Lack of police manpower." <br /> <br />While I certainly share Chief Roop's and Mr. Cole's concern over <br />illegal drug activities in the City of Martinsville, I do not <br />believe that this concern should be allowed to cause us to pre- <br />judge the question for the consideration of which this meeting was <br />called. If, indeed the problem of illegaldrug activities is one <br />which"'... can destroy society," then an equally valid question is <br />whether the current assets of the Police Department have been in <br />'the past, and are now being, most effectively employed to deal with <br />this priority problem. I hope that, as we review the activities of <br />the Police Department, we will give equal consideration to the <br />question of the employment of current assets to deal with this <br />priority problem as to the question of whether additional total <br />Police personnel are needed. <br /> <br />City Manager Brown, declaring that no effort had been made toward preparing for <br /> <br />this special meeting, maintained that reviews of departments (under his <br /> <br />jurisdiction) are administrative functions, conducted on an on-going basis to <br /> <br />determine staffing-and-other needs and to guide in the programs and directions <br /> <br />of these departments; accordingly, Mr. Brown expressed the viewpoint that the <br /> <br />purpose of this special meeting should be considered as an adjunct to his <br /> <br />administrative review responsibilities. In response to a question posed by <br /> <br />Councilman Cole, Mr. Brown stated that he does not take issue with recent <br /> <br />articles (dealing with local drug enforcement problems and efforts) which <br /> <br />appeared in the local newspaper. <br /> <br />At this point in this meeting, as well as for the remainder thereof, Council <br />adjourned to the Police Department's Squad Room where, after having "toured" <br />the Police Department'sheadquarters facilities (under the guidance of Police <br />Chief Terry L. Roop), each'member of Council was presented with a looseleaf- <br /> <br /> <br />