This Sunday's New York
Times (7/9/2000, pg.1) features an interesting article on the New York
Police Dept. called "Why Harlem Drug Cops Don't Discuss Race" by Michael
Winerip . The article talks about the different experiences of white cops
and black cops on the Harlem drug squad. The article described the violent world
in which they operate and how the black cops are afraid of getting shot by white
cops while making busts. Sgt. Brogli (a white woman) is head of the racially
mixed team covered in the article. While reading it this afternoon I noticed the
following .
"All of this makes narcotics officers
feel bitter, as if it were the 1920's and they were reliving Prohibition.
"Everyone sees this is a joke," said Jason, an undercover. "They know we ain't
putting no dent in drugs."
Lieutenant Byrne, who oversees Sergeant
Brogli's team, says the only answer is legalizing drugs. "In my humble
opinion, we're doing nothing up here," he said after another long day of
buy-and-busts."
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