NEWS RELEASE

HUNTSVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT

815 Wheeler Ave.

Huntsville, Alabama  35801

Rex Reynolds                         Wendell Johnson

       Chief of Police               Public Affairs Administrator

(256) 427-7001                       (256) 427-7043  
 

      Special Operations             North Precinct              West Precinct        South Precinct
         (256) 427-7157               (256) 746-4111           (256) 427-5461     (256) 213-4503

Seventeen Drug Suspects Arrested In City-Wide Roundup

Huntsville, Alabama (May 1, 2006) Agents with the Madison-Morgan County Strategic Counter Drug Team, along with Huntsville Police rounded up seventeen people on outstanding drug charges. Commander Gerry Norris said they also conducted street level drug sweeps in areas frequently used by drug dealers.

Agents confiscated 3 handguns as well as quantities of cocaine, marijuana, ecstasy and a variety of prescription drugs. The sweep, which took place on Thursday and Friday, was part of a nationwide effort by law enforcement funded under the federal Byrne grant program. The program was established in 1994 to assist state and local agencies with developing and maintaining drug task forces to combat organized crime.

Norris said before the Byrne grant program local police department’s were limited and operated strictly within the agency’s own geographic boundaries. This limitation made it difficult to dismantle larger organized crime units that operated in several cities. Under the Byrne program local agencies are allowed to pool their resources, equipment and Agents who are able to work as a single team.