Major Bill Collins of the Marion Police Department says the MARMET Drug Task Force has been breaking records in their enforcement since more officers were added to the group in early February.
“Not often I get to come here to talk about good things,” Major Collins told members of Marion City Council at their meeting on Monday, April 8, 2013. Collins is the commander of the detective bureau and oversees the department’s involvement in MARMET.
Collins said that on February 4 of this year, Police Chief Tom Bell took steps to assign two additional officers to the MARMET unit. That coupled with an additional deputy from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, brought the MARMET staffing to six officers.
“I’ve never seen a group of people work as well together and as hard as these people,” stated Collins, explaining the officers would work even longer hours if he would let them.
Collins said that out of the 10 county region MARMET participates with (collectively called METRICH), Marion consistently ranks at the top when it comes to drug cases. Even so, recently the local officers have “shattered nearly every record we track.”
During the period of February 4 through April 4, Collins said MARMET has:
- issued charges in 42 cases of trafficking and 38 cases of possessions;
- opened 163 new cases;
- seized 142.7 grams of heroin worth over $14,000;
- seized 54.4 grams of crack cocaine, called an “unprecedented amount”;
- seized over 500 prescription pills, some of which are worth $30 a tablet; and
- seized over $40,000 in cash.
Collins said he understands it’s difficult to understand what a gram of heroin represents, but said. “That’s a lot of dope,” when explaining what 142.7 grams of heroin means in the drug trade.
The cash confiscated is used to pay for the equipment that MARMET uses. Collins said that by law it cannot be used for personnel, but that it does help with investigations, drug buys, and equipment.
The first quarter of 2013 has already exceeded what MARMET usually takes a year to accomplish, explained Collins.
“We’re taking action. We’re putting drug dealers behind bars,” stated Collins. He warned though that law enforcement cannot do it alone. He said that community organizations and agencies have to continue their work and that judges have to hand down stiff punishment to drug offenders.
“Judges have to send a message to these people to provide a deterrent,” pleaded Collins. “If you give the maximum sentence, you at least give them a deterrent from coming to Marion.”
Collins said they are not stopping or slowing down their work, comparing it to trying to get rid of weeds that just keep coming back.
A community Town Hall meeting is scheduled for Tuesday evening to continue the work of the Opiate Task Force. You can learn more about this meeting by clicking here.
If you have information on criminal activity, you are urged to contact the Marion Police Department by calling 740-387-2525. You can call this number and remain anonymous or you can call the TIPS line at 740-375-TIPS (8477) and also remain anonymous.
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