Winifred Radtke

Additional Northeastern Pennsylvania Hospital

By MICHAEL McNARNEY mmcnarney@leader.net
 Sunday, February 16, 2003 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 3A 





WILKES-BARRE - A city police drug detective is being reassigned to the
state Office of Attorney General, giving police more muscle and a wider reach
for area narcotics investigations, top police officers say. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``We're doing now probably three times the work we were doing,'' Chief Tony
George said, though as part of a larger reorganization George has eliminated
the drug-investigation section of the detective division. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The two remaining drug detectives have been moved into general criminal
cases, though they will continue to investigate drug-related crimes. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 George would not identify the detectives involved, saying the man going to
the Atorney General's Office would be doing undercover work. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 George and Detective Capt. Gerry Dessoye said the department has benefited
from already assigning one officer to work with the federal Drug Enforcement
Administration. The moves allow city police, state and federal authorities to
coordinate their activities better. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 George said he did not ask detectives their thoughts before the
reassignments, and that he wasn't particularly interested in their opinions. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``That's not our concern. We work for the residents of the city,'' George
said. ``I'm not that well-liked in the department.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 George and the detectives butted heads in July 2002 after no detective
answered a 4:30 a.m. page to investigate a homicide. In response, George
ordered a detective to be on duty at headquarters each night. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 George also said the second-in-command post in the detective division,
vacated in June 2002 by Lt. Dale Rinker, who left for King's College, will not
be filled for some time. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Only one officer was on the promotion list - Paul Middleton, who instead
became the overnight patrol lieutenant, George said. The chief said he wasn't
sure if a new lieutenant's exam could be given before the current list - now
empty - expires. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``I don't think that's a strategic position even to be filled right now,''
George said. ``Actually, all he did is schedule cases for the detectives.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Dessoye said the changes are a net positive for the department. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``We physically have more people working narcotics than we did in the past
because of the resources of the other agencies,'' Dessoye said. ``We have a
lot more enforcement capabilities.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Michael McNarney, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 831-7305. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

W-b Police Reassign Drug Unit Detectives 
Merging Efforts With The State Will Give The City Department Better Capability
To Fight Drug Crimes, Top Officials Say.

W-b Police Reassign Drug Unit Detectives Merging Efforts With The State Will Give The City Department Better Capability To Fight Drug Crimes, Top Officials Say.