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Police Squad Marks 20 Years Fighting Tampa Drug War

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By VALERIE KALFRIN, The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 6, 2008

TAMPA - A man approached a tattooed undercover Tampa police officer straddling a bicycle inside North Boulevard Homes on Tuesday, offering $8 for one rock of crack cocaine.

A deal was struck.

"Move, move, move," went over the police radio.

Tuesday marked the 20th year of operation for the police department's Quick Uniformed Attack on Drugs squad. The street-level initiative celebrated like any other workday: targeting drug users and dealers.

Fifty-eight officers work on six squads, setting up small transactions throughout the city - a few crack cocaine rocks or some marijuana - as dealers or users.

Police posing as dealers must act fast. Within a half-hour, neighbors will warn potential customers that the police are there, Cpl. B.J. Berry said.

Officers posing as customers also find business difficult. "Some people are hip to the game," Officer Eric DeFelice said. "They've been arrested a few times, and they'll only deal with their regular customers."

Tuesday's operation lasted six hours, netting 14 arrests. Police charged Kenneth Richardson, 40, with felony delivery of a counterfeit controlled substance after officers said he sold fake crack cocaine for $20.

Police also arrested a 17-year-old boy on felony sale of cocaine and felony possession of cocaine after they said he sold four crack cocaine rocks to an undercover officer near North 40th Street.

Reporter Valerie Kalfrin can be reached at vkalfrin@tampatrib.com or (813) 259-7800.

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