State Police Seek Wiretap Power

Police officers around Michigan are requesting broad legislation to permit wiretapping as a deterrent against the heroin trade. Appearing before the House Judiciary Committee in Lansing, George Halverson, director of the Michigan State Police, said police needed state wiretap legislation to allow them to go after top dealers. At present, the only means to get wiretap authorization is through the federal courts.

Halverson admitted that past police practices have encouraged busting minor userdealers, and agreed this was ineffectual in stopping the heroin trade. He opposed any decriminalization of heroin.

Halverson wants greater coordination between law enforcement agencies, a proposal likely to lead to strengthening such drug units working under State Police control as the Washtenaw Area Narcotics Team (WANT). He also requested stricter regulation of automobile police radio scanners which are used to monitor police activities, cracking down on drug abuse in pharmacies, and more money to train special prosecutors in narcotics work.

Detroit Polce Chief Philip Tannian joined in the cry for stricter laws, and requested stiff mandatory sentences for middle level and top heroin dealers, with no time off for good behavior or early probations. He proposed life sentences for anyone convicted of possessiong a kilo (2.2 pounds) or more of heroin, and 20 years for amounts between a half and a whole kilo.

Can this kind of legislation pass? New York has similar mandatory sentences for drug crimes, but statistics indicate the strict penalties have had little effect on the heroin trade.

Some of the state legislators expressed doubt over the effectiveness of such provisions.

"It's a step doomed to failure," State Representative Perry Bullard commented. "I don't think anyone here can-make an effective case for criminal control of heroin traffic unless we give up a lot of civil liberties."

Bullard said he thought wiretap authority for the State Police could be stopped in the legislature, but stiff sentencing might be pushed through by legislators from suburban Detroit, who ran on "law and order" tickets over the high crime rate in Southeast Michigan.