Drugs and Violence in Williamsport
Part 1: The Problems
Despite many well intentioned efforts drug sales, usage and the violence that comes with them
– especially with heroin and meth – have increased dramatically in the seven years since Mayor
Campana told us that “On Day 1 They’re Done”. Remember that?
In the past several months alone we have had a kid shot to death in an alley, (unsolved), a driveby shooting on Linn Street, a hostage situation in Newberry, a shooting on Adams Street in the
East End, a gun fight on West Fourth Street (2 shot), and, most recently 5 of our kids shot near a
nightclub on Pine Street. Deaths by overdoses, increases in burglary, theft, muggings – as
addicts try to find money to buy their fixes.
Obviously, whatever we are doing cannot keep up with the violence. It’s time to take a look at
the problem from a different perspective.
Most of us look at drug sales and usage as crimes, and rightly so. And we are used to thinking of
solutions within the “box” of law enforcement. Let’s set that aside and think outside the box for
a minute. Let’s look at the sale and use of heroin and meth from a business point of view.
Selling these drugs is a profit driven business, illegal to be sure, like alcohol was during
prohibition, but profit driven nonetheless.
To make money the distributors need product – of which they have plenty – and they need
customers – a market.
From a business point of view Williamsport is a good place to establish a marketplace. Easily
accessible from Philly, New Jersey and NYC for distribution of the product and easily accessible
from the 8 surrounding counties including the towns of Lewisburg, Selinsgrove, Lock Haven,
State College, Wellsboro, Wilkes-Barre, Danville, Bloomsburg – to name a few – where the drug
users come from. So, for the drug distributors, think of Williamsport as the “store” and the
users coming here to buy as the customers.
So what can we do?
Vote Bill Hall for Mayor May 19
Part 2: Possible Solutions
Obviously we need a two-part plan, one that focuses on the dealers, the other that focuse on
the users.
Finding and focusing on arresting and convicting dealers is the major role of law enforcement.
As Mayor, in conjunction with other community leaders, I will call for another summit of all law
enforcement agencies in the county. The purpose would be to examine what we have been
doing that works along with looking at what does not work. Law enforcement professionals can
and should do that objectively. The only thing I would strongly recommend to them is to take a
hard look at how 21st century technology has changed the way the dealers do business.
It used to be that dealers would set up shop in a house and by word of mouth the customers
would find them. Appointments were made at the “shop”; customers would go there and get
their product and leave. Occasionally law enforcement would raid the “shop” and shut it down.
While this business arrangement still exists to a degree, with the advent of the cell phone there
has been a big change.
Now a customer will call or text the dealer and will be told to show up at the corner of Sherman
and Tucker at 8:05, for example. They meet, roll down the window, do their transaction and
leave, all within less than a minute. The user goes to a parking lot somewhere and uses the
product. Sometimes we find them, sometimes we don’t. Sometimes they die.
Meanwhile the dealer gets another customer call and tells the customer to meet him at the
corner of Linn and Funston at 8:20, for example. They meet, roll down the window, do their
transaction and leave, all within less than a minute. The user goes to a parking lot somewhere
and uses the product. Sometimes we find them, sometimes we don’t. Sometimes they die…
and the dealer takes the next call.
We need to see how 21st century technology can aid us in reducing this type of customer
service.
Whatever strategy and tactics are developed in this summit should not be made public.
Common sense tells us that we don’t need to educate the dealers about what we are doing to
get them. As Mayor, using the grant writer I proposed to hire, we will seek out every available
grant for 21st century technology for law enforcement to at least have the ability to level the
playing field.
But there is something else we can do.
I mentioned earlier that you could think of Williamsport as the “store” for our eight or nine
county region. For a store to be profitable it needs customers so… let’s shrink the customer
base.
We do that through a massive and sustained marketing blitz throughout the region. We
encourage businesses in the area to get involved- department stores, fast food restaurants,
tattoo parlors, bars, convenience stores, tobacco shops, barber shops and any other businesses
that wish to be involved in this community effort will be encouraged to display posters warning
potential drug customers of the dangers of buying their product in our area.
We can use radio blitzes, billboards up and down US 15, US 220, I-99, I-80 and I-180, social
media and public television. All giving the same message – Buy drugs in Williamsport and you
will do time.
In addition the Sun Gazette, which sits in newsstands and convenience stores all over the region
would be encouraged to do its part. Once a week, somewhere on page 1 top fold – the part of
the paper everyone sees – publish the names and towns of those convicted of heroin/meth and
related paraphernalia for all to see. This will show that we mean business.
The word will get out, the drug dealers profit margins will shrink and they may find that it simply
is not profitable from a money and resources perspective to maintain a “store” in Williamsport.
Funding for this media blitz could come from the District Attorney’s office, any grants my grant
writer could find, as well as business and personal contributions. It is a common sense business
oriented approach to our heroin problem and has the added benefit of re-building our sense of
community. It can make a dent in the problem.
Vote Bill Hall for Mayor May 19