Drugs in Jasper
Police processing new warrants on city drug crime
By JIMMY GALVAN Managing Editor

Following up on citizens' complaints, Jasper Police are in the process of serving numerous state and federal warrants aimed at curtailing some of the drug problems in the city.

"It is definitely making a difference in crime and we can see a difference in the people getting involved," said Jasper Police Chief Todd Hunter. "I think people that are knowledgeable with what we are doing and they are taking it elsewhere or not getting involved at all.

"This didn't evolve overnight and it's not going to go away overnight either," Hunter said.

Jasper Police Det. Mike Poindexter believes the department is clearly sending out a message.

"I think it will slow it down but there is a lot of money to be made in the drug trade so others step up in their place," Poindexter said.

"I don't think there will always be someone to take their place but I definitely think we can make an impact on the drug trade," Hunter said.

"Unfortunately it takes so long after we get the complaint to making the undercover buy and three to four months to get the drug tests back (from the state Department of Public Safety labs)," Hunter said.

Poindexter also said the activity is prevalent "from the east-west boundary to the north-south boundary- it's everywhere."

Poindexter agreed that the calls to the department come in "24 hours a day, seven days a week as people are worrying about people selling drugs in their neighborhoods.

"Most the people that we are getting calls about, we know them," Poindexter said. "We want the people to call us, but nine times out of 10, we know about the people they are calling about."

Last week, police arrested two suspects with drug warrants out on them.

The latest arrest came Wednesday, June 20, of Joshua Tyrell Johnson, 20, of Jasper, who was arrested in the 100 block of Martin Luther King Blvd.

"When we first start to go after them, they have no idea we are looking for them," Poindexter said. "But when you go and knock on one door and ask for somebody, the phones go to ringing and it spreads through the lines like wildfire."

Poindexter said a number of these arrests are for the distribution of marijuana, powder cocaine, crack cocaine and prescription drugs.

"The only thing we have not seen or bought is heroin," Poindexter said.

He said the majority of the warrants presently being served are state warrants.

Jimmy Galvan can be reached at jgalvan@jaspernewsboy.com