Narcotics cases frequent in Columbia and at MU

The number of arrests continues to increase annually.

By Rachel Allred

Published Oct. 23, 2009

Narcotic drug violations have resulted in nearly 100 MU arrests annually the past two years and have frequently appeared in the MU Police Department daily activity summary.

MUPD Capt. Brian Weimer said the term narcotic drug violation encompasses various illegal activities.

"There are several crimes that use that definition," Weimer said.

Narcotic drug violations are categorized differently by Uniform Crime Reporting guidelines and the Jeanne Clery Act guidelines. MUPD Capt. Scott Richardson said UCR is more specific on violations that occur.

"When we report narcotic drugs to the UCR, we break them down into the possession of or the sale and manufacturing of drugs," Richardson said. "The Clery lumps it all together."

MUPD adheres to the definitions set forth by UCR in the daily activity summary, which is posted on its official Web site and reports crimes that happen everyday. Narcotic drug violations are divided into eight categories by UCR. Richardson said those categories are possession of marijuana, possession of opium or crack cocaine, possession of synthetic drugs and possession of any other drug. The remaining four categories are the sale of the same drugs.

Driving while intoxicated cases are also reported in the daily activity summary as narcotic drug violations that are not alcohol-related.

Clery guidelines apply to the Campus Safety Report, which is released each year and provides a summary and statistics on crime that happened the previous year. Richard said unlike the daily activity summary, the Campus Safety Report does not differentiate between violations, but gives the number of total drug violations. The Clery report does not include drug-induced DWIs.

According to the Campus Safety Report, there were 76 campus arrests made due to narcotic drug violations in 2006. In 2007, the number increased to 97, and last year 98 arrests were made. Richardson said he doesn't have an explanation for the increase in recent years and Weimer said there is not a specific area on campus that has more drug violations.

Nearly 20 narcotic drug violations have been reported on the daily activity summary since the beginning of the month. Recent incidents include possession of solvents, possession of inhalants and distribution of marijuana.

Richardson said the most common drug violation on campus is possession of marijuana.

Marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine and ecstasy are the most prevalent drugs in the Columbia area, according to the Columbia Police Department's official Web site. CPD Spokeswoman Jessie Haden said drug usage varies between age groups.

"Among the younger demographic, the drugs of choice continue to be alcohol and marijuana," Haden said. "However, we do see young people abusing prescription medication. Prescription drugs are abused more regularly by the adult population."

CPD has a Narcotics Unit dedicated to investigating the selling, buying and possession of illegal drugs. According to CPD's Web site, narcotic detectives use undercover buys and surveillance in their investigations. Haden said the unit was established to address an arrangement of drug problems.

"They are involved in a variety of investigative and enforcement activities," Haden said. "We receive a substantial amount of complaints from the community regarding narcotics violations and the community expects us to address these complaints."