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Counterdrug Newsletter: March 2011

Georgia Department of Defense
Georgia Department of Defense

Monthly newsletter from Georgia's Counterdrug Task Force SPECIAL POINTS OF INTEREST: - DDR supports a local school - GRT continues to support LEAs - Aviation fly's after the snow storm - Bad weather prompts safety preparation

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Volume 1, Issue 3 15 March 2011 Georgia Counterdrug News G E O R G I A C O U N T E R D R U G T A S K F O R C E C o u n t e r d r u g C o o r d i n a t o r N e w s S P E C I A L P O I N T S O F I N T E R E S T : All, DDR supports It is an interesting time to be associated with the greatest group of individuals in the Georgia a local school National Guard. I wanted to take a moment and share the transitions that are occurring be- cause of the uncertainty of the budget situation. The Counterdrug Task Force has experienced GRT continues a time where we had stability in most positions for a very long time. We have had some to support transition because some are moving to other jobs that will enable them to have longevity be- LEAs yond CD, some have taken deployments to help the CD program save money and some have moved to other ADOS jobs for career development. I appreciate the candidness and openness Aviation fly's that you all have shared with me during this difficult time. As some move on, I wanted to thank you for your effort and diligence in making Georgia one of the national leaders in CD opera- after the snow tions and hope that you all can stay affiliated with our organization. You will always have a storm home here. For everyone else, I see the budget situation as a temporary situation that will resolve itself in the near future (I hope). I will do all the worrying for you all. I need all of you to Bad weather stay focused on doing your job and presenting as positive outlook on the future as you can. I prompts thank you all for helping us get through this. I will get out and see you all soon. Thanks safety preparation LTC Sartain Counter Drug Coordinator I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E : DDR 2 GRT 3 Criminal Analyst 4 CD Aviation 5 Substance Abuse 6 Safety 7 Stats 8
P a g e 2 G e o r g i a Drug Demand Reduction The Counterdrug Task force DDR team supports Whitesville Elementary School Smiling students filed into Whitesville Elementary School eager to be there. What made this different from other school days was that this was a Saturday. Children happy to be at school on a Saturday? Unusual as it sounds, this was a special event that is held each year at the La Grange school to help inform, entertain and involve kids and their families. The Troop County Board of Education and Whitesville Elementary held their annual Family fun day on Saturday, February 19, 2011. The Drug Demand Reduction Team was one among more than 20 local organizations involved in the event. Students and their families were treated to a host of entertaining events and information booths. Events included step dancers, martial arts demonstrations, singers and helicopter exhibits. The DDR team provided a HMMWV static display as an attraction coupled with information packets and discussions on drug awareness and prevention. The DDR Team was able to interact with nearly all of the 300 participants. This was evident by the empty boxes of drug abuse pamphlets and promotional giveaways at the end of the day. Judging by the many happy faces of students and parents involved, it was clear that everyone en- joyed a successful Saturday school day.
V o l u m e 1 , I ss u e 3 P a g e 3 Ground Recon Teams During the month of November, Agents from the Hall County Multi Agency Narcotics Squad (M.A.N.S.) , along with Georgia Counterdrug Task Force (GACDTF) Soldiers , arrested an individual during a "buy- bust" investigation . With help from the GACDTF, Hall county officers were able to monitor, identify and secure a suspected vehicle believed to be involved in transporting illegal narcotics. Upon securing the vehicle, it was discovered that the vehicle was driven by a middle aged, Hispanic male who was also secured. After conduct- ing a search of the subjects vehicle, 1 oz of methamphetamine was recovered from the cup holder in the center console. The man was arrested and booked at Hall Countys Jail. During the last Quarter, Hall Countys M.A.N.S agents have seized over 114.5 grams of Methamphetamine in three investigations. 1 OZ Methamphetamine recovered from cup holder center console of vehicle. Methamphetamine packaged in zip lock baggy, this is the way it was delivered On 11 February 2011, GACDTF Soldiers assisted in a search warrant that involved the CDTF and the Floyd County SWAT team. Soldiers involved were able to provide surveillance prior to the SWAT Teams execution of the search warrant on a residence. The operation resulted in the arrest of 6 suspects, 3 pounds of marijuana, 2 guns and $6379.52 in cash.
P a g e 4 G e o r g i a C r i m i n a l A n a ly s t s The operational direction here at the MGRDEO is not quite the same as a local level Drug Task Force. There seems to be a considerable amount more of investigation being done in the pre arrest phase of the case, than in the post arrest. I believe this is a perfect fit for the 2B duty position, because it gives the analyst an almost omniscient view of the case. Through call recordings, toll records, physical surveillance, and inter -agency intelligence sharing, we become the information hub, and often find ourselves with as much knowl- edge of the case as the case agent themselves. Over the past few months this office has been a part of numerous cases with varying levels of respon- sibility. After receiving information that a suspect was selling narcotics, we assisted in a video poker sting operation that lead to 18 arrests and the seizure of over $130,000 in cash. With a tip from an ongoing T-III, we took part in several seizures producing 1700 lbs of marijuana worth over $1,000,000, six vehicles, and 7 arrests so far. This case is still ongoing and looks to provide many more arrests and seizures. Although we can get discouraged by the banality of phone toll analysis, criminal background checks, license history checks, cross-referencing, link-analysis, and the myriad of seemingly minor tasks we perform on a daily basis, its the take-downs that make us love our work. Knowing that dope will never make it into a high school, that career criminal is going to be off the street for a long time, and our communities are a safer place. This is due in some part to our efforts, which makes all the tedium worthwhile. $45,000 seized from illegal video poker operation. 1200 Lbs of marijuana seized during a traffic stop.
V o l u m e 1 , I ss u e 3 P a g e 5 C o u n t e r d ru g Av i a t i o n During this past quarter Counterdrug Aviation has had a busy schedule. In November, we received the highly anticipated LUH-72A Lakota helicopter. Since reception, we have been on a whirlwind, attending all the schools and training for this new aircraft. Going from a 1960 and 70 era platform, to the most technologi- cally advanced aircraft in the Armys fleet is an overwhelming transition. Missions are still continuing while in transition and in doing so, CD AV supported ICE in one of the largest single takedowns here in the Marietta area. Two OH-58 helicopters were involved in this opera- tion. While one aircraft was conducting rolling surveil- lance, another was providing FLIR, Night Sun, and live down link recording of the mission. There were over twenty five law enforcement agencies involved. The op- eration began at 0400 and continued thru 1300. The re- sults of the operation produced one pound of metham- phetamine, one kilo of cocaine, 17 guns, and 19 arrests. In the recent snow storm, the CD AV was asked to pro- vide an aerial platform for TAG, The Georgia Director of Transportation and the new Governor. The Lakota has been a great addition to the CD program, expanding its role while already gaining major accolades for its appearance and ride. Counter Drug Aviation Supports Operation Star Base
P a g e 6 G e o r g i a S u b s ta n c e a b u s e The Georgia National Guard Substance Abuse Program (GSAP) has truly started off FY11 with a bang. The Substance Abuse Department passed the National Guard Bureau CPE inspection for the first time in Georgia history. The national average for the CPE inspection was 76% and Georgia exceeded that mark by scoring 85% for its total average. Due to the advance turnaround of the program, the Geor- gia Substance Abuse Program now serves as a benchmark and inspiration for other National Guard Sub- stance Abuse Offices. Our office has trained over 380 Unit Prevention Leaders and Drug Testing Pro- gram Managers for the state. This has increased productivity by 50% enabling us to exceed quarterly quotas consecutively in FY 10, and our discrepancy rate is at an all time low. This is a direct reflection of the professional service members that manage effective substance programs at the unit level. The Substance Abuse team is excited about the upcoming year. Georgia now provides free counseling for service members that may have substance abuse issues. We are also conducting training in the Savannah/Ft. Stewart area, and actively lobbying senior leadership to expand the program to better serve the Georgia National Guard. It has been a joy to see the program transform from a dysfunctional department to a highly effec- tive operation. The best is yet to come. S t a t e w i d e S u b s t a n c e A b u s e S t a t s Army UPLs: 195 Air Guard DTPAMS: 160 Testing to date: Army 8177 Air Guard-1865 FY2010 1st Quarter: 14% 2nd Quarter: 35%
V o l u m e 1 , I ss u e 3 P a g e 7 Safety News March showers may bring May flowers but it also brings floods, tornados, thunderstorms, and possible blizzards. It is important for Soldiers/ Airman to take a proactive approach to bad weather and prepare before the event. Get a battery operated weather radio. It needs to be battery operated in case the electricity is out during bad weather. Make sure that you also have extra batteries. Stockpile bottled water, prepackaged dry food and canned goods that can be stored for long periods of time. Some foods include granola bars, pop-tarts, dry milk, and pretty much any- thing that comes in a can. Always check the expiration dates to make sure they are safe to eat. In case of a tornado, have a safe area pre-designated in your house where the family can wait out the storm. Rehearse your emergency plans so every member of the family knows what to do Think about safety in your vehicle! You may be stranded in your car so stock a safety kit in each vehicle. S a f e t y C o u n c i l N e w s The next Safety Council meeting will be held during Annual Training on 31 March 2011. The new Safety Officer is CW2 Ron Young Send a request to CW2 Ron Young for all Soldiers/Airmen who still need to attend the CD Safety Course. New CLS bags are being ordered for all sections!
STATS C o n ta c t I n f o r m a t i o n Counterdrug HQ Address: Counterdrug Coordinator: LTC Benjamin Sartain (678) 655-3473 Georgia Counterdrug Task Force Executive Officer: CPT Joshua Patterson (678) 655-3478 1651 Perry St. BLDG 826 NCOIC: CSM Mike Hurndon (678) 655-3472 Dobbins ARB, GA 30069-4812

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Counterdrug Newsletter: March 2011

  • 1. Volume 1, Issue 3 15 March 2011 Georgia Counterdrug News G E O R G I A C O U N T E R D R U G T A S K F O R C E C o u n t e r d r u g C o o r d i n a t o r N e w s S P E C I A L P O I N T S O F I N T E R E S T : All, DDR supports It is an interesting time to be associated with the greatest group of individuals in the Georgia a local school National Guard. I wanted to take a moment and share the transitions that are occurring be- cause of the uncertainty of the budget situation. The Counterdrug Task Force has experienced GRT continues a time where we had stability in most positions for a very long time. We have had some to support transition because some are moving to other jobs that will enable them to have longevity be- LEAs yond CD, some have taken deployments to help the CD program save money and some have moved to other ADOS jobs for career development. I appreciate the candidness and openness Aviation fly's that you all have shared with me during this difficult time. As some move on, I wanted to thank you for your effort and diligence in making Georgia one of the national leaders in CD opera- after the snow tions and hope that you all can stay affiliated with our organization. You will always have a storm home here. For everyone else, I see the budget situation as a temporary situation that will resolve itself in the near future (I hope). I will do all the worrying for you all. I need all of you to Bad weather stay focused on doing your job and presenting as positive outlook on the future as you can. I prompts thank you all for helping us get through this. I will get out and see you all soon. Thanks safety preparation LTC Sartain Counter Drug Coordinator I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E : DDR 2 GRT 3 Criminal Analyst 4 CD Aviation 5 Substance Abuse 6 Safety 7 Stats 8
  • 2. P a g e 2 G e o r g i a Drug Demand Reduction The Counterdrug Task force DDR team supports Whitesville Elementary School Smiling students filed into Whitesville Elementary School eager to be there. What made this different from other school days was that this was a Saturday. Children happy to be at school on a Saturday? Unusual as it sounds, this was a special event that is held each year at the La Grange school to help inform, entertain and involve kids and their families. The Troop County Board of Education and Whitesville Elementary held their annual Family fun day on Saturday, February 19, 2011. The Drug Demand Reduction Team was one among more than 20 local organizations involved in the event. Students and their families were treated to a host of entertaining events and information booths. Events included step dancers, martial arts demonstrations, singers and helicopter exhibits. The DDR team provided a HMMWV static display as an attraction coupled with information packets and discussions on drug awareness and prevention. The DDR Team was able to interact with nearly all of the 300 participants. This was evident by the empty boxes of drug abuse pamphlets and promotional giveaways at the end of the day. Judging by the many happy faces of students and parents involved, it was clear that everyone en- joyed a successful Saturday school day.
  • 3. V o l u m e 1 , I ss u e 3 P a g e 3 Ground Recon Teams During the month of November, Agents from the Hall County Multi Agency Narcotics Squad (M.A.N.S.) , along with Georgia Counterdrug Task Force (GACDTF) Soldiers , arrested an individual during a "buy- bust" investigation . With help from the GACDTF, Hall county officers were able to monitor, identify and secure a suspected vehicle believed to be involved in transporting illegal narcotics. Upon securing the vehicle, it was discovered that the vehicle was driven by a middle aged, Hispanic male who was also secured. After conduct- ing a search of the subjects vehicle, 1 oz of methamphetamine was recovered from the cup holder in the center console. The man was arrested and booked at Hall Countys Jail. During the last Quarter, Hall Countys M.A.N.S agents have seized over 114.5 grams of Methamphetamine in three investigations. 1 OZ Methamphetamine recovered from cup holder center console of vehicle. Methamphetamine packaged in zip lock baggy, this is the way it was delivered On 11 February 2011, GACDTF Soldiers assisted in a search warrant that involved the CDTF and the Floyd County SWAT team. Soldiers involved were able to provide surveillance prior to the SWAT Teams execution of the search warrant on a residence. The operation resulted in the arrest of 6 suspects, 3 pounds of marijuana, 2 guns and $6379.52 in cash.
  • 4. P a g e 4 G e o r g i a C r i m i n a l A n a ly s t s The operational direction here at the MGRDEO is not quite the same as a local level Drug Task Force. There seems to be a considerable amount more of investigation being done in the pre arrest phase of the case, than in the post arrest. I believe this is a perfect fit for the 2B duty position, because it gives the analyst an almost omniscient view of the case. Through call recordings, toll records, physical surveillance, and inter -agency intelligence sharing, we become the information hub, and often find ourselves with as much knowl- edge of the case as the case agent themselves. Over the past few months this office has been a part of numerous cases with varying levels of respon- sibility. After receiving information that a suspect was selling narcotics, we assisted in a video poker sting operation that lead to 18 arrests and the seizure of over $130,000 in cash. With a tip from an ongoing T-III, we took part in several seizures producing 1700 lbs of marijuana worth over $1,000,000, six vehicles, and 7 arrests so far. This case is still ongoing and looks to provide many more arrests and seizures. Although we can get discouraged by the banality of phone toll analysis, criminal background checks, license history checks, cross-referencing, link-analysis, and the myriad of seemingly minor tasks we perform on a daily basis, its the take-downs that make us love our work. Knowing that dope will never make it into a high school, that career criminal is going to be off the street for a long time, and our communities are a safer place. This is due in some part to our efforts, which makes all the tedium worthwhile. $45,000 seized from illegal video poker operation. 1200 Lbs of marijuana seized during a traffic stop.
  • 5. V o l u m e 1 , I ss u e 3 P a g e 5 C o u n t e r d ru g Av i a t i o n During this past quarter Counterdrug Aviation has had a busy schedule. In November, we received the highly anticipated LUH-72A Lakota helicopter. Since reception, we have been on a whirlwind, attending all the schools and training for this new aircraft. Going from a 1960 and 70 era platform, to the most technologi- cally advanced aircraft in the Armys fleet is an overwhelming transition. Missions are still continuing while in transition and in doing so, CD AV supported ICE in one of the largest single takedowns here in the Marietta area. Two OH-58 helicopters were involved in this opera- tion. While one aircraft was conducting rolling surveil- lance, another was providing FLIR, Night Sun, and live down link recording of the mission. There were over twenty five law enforcement agencies involved. The op- eration began at 0400 and continued thru 1300. The re- sults of the operation produced one pound of metham- phetamine, one kilo of cocaine, 17 guns, and 19 arrests. In the recent snow storm, the CD AV was asked to pro- vide an aerial platform for TAG, The Georgia Director of Transportation and the new Governor. The Lakota has been a great addition to the CD program, expanding its role while already gaining major accolades for its appearance and ride. Counter Drug Aviation Supports Operation Star Base
  • 6. P a g e 6 G e o r g i a S u b s ta n c e a b u s e The Georgia National Guard Substance Abuse Program (GSAP) has truly started off FY11 with a bang. The Substance Abuse Department passed the National Guard Bureau CPE inspection for the first time in Georgia history. The national average for the CPE inspection was 76% and Georgia exceeded that mark by scoring 85% for its total average. Due to the advance turnaround of the program, the Geor- gia Substance Abuse Program now serves as a benchmark and inspiration for other National Guard Sub- stance Abuse Offices. Our office has trained over 380 Unit Prevention Leaders and Drug Testing Pro- gram Managers for the state. This has increased productivity by 50% enabling us to exceed quarterly quotas consecutively in FY 10, and our discrepancy rate is at an all time low. This is a direct reflection of the professional service members that manage effective substance programs at the unit level. The Substance Abuse team is excited about the upcoming year. Georgia now provides free counseling for service members that may have substance abuse issues. We are also conducting training in the Savannah/Ft. Stewart area, and actively lobbying senior leadership to expand the program to better serve the Georgia National Guard. It has been a joy to see the program transform from a dysfunctional department to a highly effec- tive operation. The best is yet to come. S t a t e w i d e S u b s t a n c e A b u s e S t a t s Army UPLs: 195 Air Guard DTPAMS: 160 Testing to date: Army 8177 Air Guard-1865 FY2010 1st Quarter: 14% 2nd Quarter: 35%
  • 7. V o l u m e 1 , I ss u e 3 P a g e 7 Safety News March showers may bring May flowers but it also brings floods, tornados, thunderstorms, and possible blizzards. It is important for Soldiers/ Airman to take a proactive approach to bad weather and prepare before the event. Get a battery operated weather radio. It needs to be battery operated in case the electricity is out during bad weather. Make sure that you also have extra batteries. Stockpile bottled water, prepackaged dry food and canned goods that can be stored for long periods of time. Some foods include granola bars, pop-tarts, dry milk, and pretty much any- thing that comes in a can. Always check the expiration dates to make sure they are safe to eat. In case of a tornado, have a safe area pre-designated in your house where the family can wait out the storm. Rehearse your emergency plans so every member of the family knows what to do Think about safety in your vehicle! You may be stranded in your car so stock a safety kit in each vehicle. S a f e t y C o u n c i l N e w s The next Safety Council meeting will be held during Annual Training on 31 March 2011. The new Safety Officer is CW2 Ron Young Send a request to CW2 Ron Young for all Soldiers/Airmen who still need to attend the CD Safety Course. New CLS bags are being ordered for all sections!
  • 8. STATS C o n ta c t I n f o r m a t i o n Counterdrug HQ Address: Counterdrug Coordinator: LTC Benjamin Sartain (678) 655-3473 Georgia Counterdrug Task Force Executive Officer: CPT Joshua Patterson (678) 655-3478 1651 Perry St. BLDG 826 NCOIC: CSM Mike Hurndon (678) 655-3472 Dobbins ARB, GA 30069-4812