Drug War Detailed For Council

February 22, 1989  |  The Daily Progress

Excerpts From Article

Sgt J.E. "Chip" Harding, city narcotics officer, said growing drug use in the area has increased the city's crime rate.

Crack, introduced into the area in July or August, is the drug posing the biggest threat to the area, Harding said. Because it is sold in cheap, small doses and it is quickly addictive, crack use has "hit the city in a big way," Harding said..

"You got to steal or you got to deal," Harding said. "They don't give the stuff away.."

About 95 percent of the criminals older than 17 arrested last year by city police on burglary charges were drug users, Harding said.