NEWS > 01 November 2006

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Boston Globe - United States
01 November 2006

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Police drug den

ACTING BOSTON Police Commissioner Albert Goslin played a good hunch recently when he ordered an audit of the police department's central drug repository during physical upgrades to the Hyde Park facility. While it is too early to determine how much drug evidence may have been misplaced or stolen, it is already clear that poor oversight of the facility has made the department vulnerable to suspicion and corruption.

Drug evidence from roughly 190,000 cases, some dating back more than two decades, has been piling up. In some cases, drugs believed missing turned up in other parts of the facility. But the fact that anti corruption officers are working side by side with auditors means that Goslin is not confident that all of the evidence will be present and accounted for by the end of the probe.

This is not the first time such problems have arisen. Nearly 10 years ago, the Globe Spotlight team reported on lax case management in the detective ranks. Superior officers made little effort at the time to reconcile search warrants, case files, and deposit records. Like water, corruption found a way. In one case, officers deposited money from a 1991 drug raid into a departmental account six years after the raid -- but shortly after press inquiries.

Failure to protect the integrity of evidence weakens the public trust and undermines court proceedings. Goslin, an expert in ferreting out police corruption, is the right person to lead the effort. But there may be a role for outside law enforcement officials as well. State law demands that police maintain full records of forfeited property, including type, quantity, and the date and manner of destruction or disposition. The law also allows those records to be inspected by state and federal law enforcement officials charged with enforcement of drug control laws. Another pair of experienced eyes wouldn't hurt.

Police executives estimate that only 1 or 2 percent of evidence collected by police ever ends up in court. It is also widely acknowledged in police circles that overcrowded evidence rooms are the primary reason for lost and stolen items. The age and amount of drugs in the Hyde Park facility strongly suggest that Boston Police officials need to look again at the so-called purge policy that directs the disposal of evidence. Police may find that the statutes of limitation have rendered much of the evidence obsolete. It is also likely that some detectives are simply ignoring their duty to review cases and determine if evidence can be safely discarded.

People with larceny in their hearts, including those who wear badges, are quick to notice and exploit weak control systems. Efforts to rid the city of drugs should include a hard look in the police department's repository.

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Article sourced from

Boston Globe - United States01 November 2006

Police drug den

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Boston Globe - United States
01 November 2006