Com DuPree steps up to plate
Convenes last minute drug summit (Part
I) (to-Part
II)
Columbia County, FL (posted
October 27,
2009)
By Stew Lilker
Com DuPree and Councilman Jake Hill show the strain of
dealing with the long running drug problems in the Lake
City community.
On Monday morning, October 26th, Columbia County
district III Commissioner, Jody DuPree, convened a
hastily called summit to discuss the ever-present and
continuing drug and related problems in his district, a
district that overlaps City Councilman Jake Hill's
district in the Lake City area.
Invited to the meeting were City Manager, Wendell
Johnson; County Manager Dale Williams; City Police
Chief Argatha Gilmore; Sheriff Mark Hunter; Lake City
Police Captain Rudolph Davis; Lake City Police
Lieutenant Joe Moody; City Clerk Audrey Sikes and County
Deputy Clerk Sandy Markham. Columbia County District I
Commissioner Ronald Williams also attended.
The State Attorney was not invited.
"I've been gettin a lot of calls and complaints
about drug activity..."
Commissioner DuPree began by explaining that his
district, County Commissioner Ronald Williams' District
1, and City Councilman Jake Hills' district all
overlap. Mr. DuPree said, "I've been gettin a lot of
calls and complaints about drug activity, prostitution
and all kinds of stuff over here. It's gettin to where
it's gettin to be a pretty serious thing. I'm gettin a
lot of issues about it. I've had people who work for me buyin stuff they shouldn't be buyin over there."
Mr. DuPree said that while the issues confronting the
"north side" are not endemic to just that area, "it sure
seems like what's on the north side of Lake City is
right in your face."
DuPree said that the county has tools that it can use
to help clear up the problems.
Commissioner DuPree explained that recently, in the
area around the Lake Shore Hospital Authority, "a boy"
he went to school with said, "Whenever we get done eatin
dinner, we don't go back outside."
Councilman Hill explained that the west side is a bad
area. "Anytime of the day you can ride through there and
get anything you want to. Something needs to be done
about it."
"They damn sure ain't bringin home the maid..."
Long time County Com. Ronald Williams, flanked by Police
Chief Gilmore and Sheriff Hunter, makes a point.
Commissioner Ronald Williams: "It's not only a west
side issue. It's a issue east-side and west-side... Most
of the old folks are prisoners in their own homes... a
lot of people don't want to get involved because they're
scared..."
Com Williams explained that the drug dealers have
scanners – that the complaint calls are heard and that
folks that make the complaints have their "windows broke
out."
About going after the drug dealers Com Williams said,
"I don't give a damn who they are, if they break the
law, arrest em."
Com Williams said about the drug dealers, "If you
want to know – ask me – I'll tell you who I think's
sellin it... At twelve o'clock at night when you see
white folks in the black community they damn sure ain't
bringin home the maid... They goin to get somethin from
that house.
Com Williams concluded, "Jakes not lyin. It's bad you
all."
Com DuPree said, "It's not the most important reason
that somethin needs to happen. It certainly is a
reason."
"This is a grave concern of ours..."
Sheriff Hunter (left), Chief Gilmore(center), and Lt.
Rudolph Barnes (right) are the major players who will
enforce the law.
Lake City Police Chief Gilmore spoke about the
problem: "This is a grave concern of ours, as well... It
is somewhat embedded into the neighborhood... It is
going to take a holistic approach... We can make a
street level arrest... We have started a plan of action
targeting that entire area... we are going to need
everybody on board... We will need community support...
Hopefully they won't be afraid to speak out... We will
need the state attorney... we will be working with the
Sheriff's department. We will start this week."
Sheriff Mark Hunter spoke about the problem: "Since
comin on board that is one area that we have definitely
needed to address. The only way that we are going to
make a significant change over there is through the
community... We've got to get the trust of the people in
that area if they do call... We can set up a tip line...
We are aware of the scanners.... The drug problem is
entrenched... I am up for the game... We've got to set a
tone in that area over there – we're not goin to accept
this behavior from what we call these jitterbugs over
there... I'm glad to see this finally come together."
Chief Gilmore was on the mark when she said, "They
need to hear from us that we're going to put folks in
jail. They are going to jail."
Chief Gilmore added, "We have to hold those property
owners responsible, as well, for some of the things that
they're allowing to do."
Lake
City's straight talking non nonsense City Manager,
Wendell Johnson, called it like it is: "Talking isn't
going to do the job... You can have church meetings and
community meetings all day long... It's going to have to
be a visible presence... They're going to have to see
some action. Every time they look around the corner
they're going to see a police officer or a sheriff
officer... A couple of days later they're going to see
it again... I hope that will be the approach that you
will take... because that's what it's going to take...
You're really going to have to be proactive."
Where was the State Attorney?
Because nothing can be accomplished without a state
attorney who is dedicated to prosecuting drug and drug
related crimes, your reporter asked Com DuPree where he
was.
Com DuPree said he was not invited.
Com DuPree explained that when the meeting started
out "it was gonna be me and Jake [Councilman Jake Hill]
meetin with our managers and the law enforcement
people... From that it became this. But you're exactly
right."
The Observer, "You could have called this morning."