
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, April 15, 1990                   TAG: 9004150224
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: RICHMOND                                LENGTH: Medium

VIRGINIA OFFICIALS TO MAP STRATEGY AT DRUG SUMMIT

Law enforcement officials should emerge from this week's two-day drug summit with a good grasp of how to best fight narcotics problems, a spokeswoman for Gov. Douglas Wilder says.

"The governor doesn't expect victory overnight," Wilder spokeswoman Laura Dillard said Friday. "But he does expect to make progress."

Wilder will open the summit with a speech Monday morning and close it the same way Tuesday afternoon. In the interim, he plans to join the more than 300 expected participants for strategy discussions.

"This is an opportunity for the governor and others at the state and federal levels to listen to what local law enforcement officials have to say," Dillard said. "They're the ones who deal with this problem day in and day out. The governor wants to listen to their ideas about how the state can best assist them."

Wilder also wants to let the participants know that "we haven't really begun the struggle yet. We've got to get serious about it."

U.S. Attorney General Richard Thornburgh will deliver the keynote address Monday night. Also speaking Monday will be state Secretary of Public Safety Robert L. Suthard, Hampton Police Chief Patrick G. Minetti, Sussex County Sheriff L.E. Stuart Kitchen Jr. and Terrence M. Burke, acting administrator of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency.

Participants will spend the afternoon in tactical sessions focusing on seven areas of drug-law enforcement, ranging from intelligence and information-sharing to incarceration and alternatives.

No alcoholic beverages will be served at the evening reception "to indicate our conviction that all drugs can be abused, and that alcohol is a drug," Dillard said.

Money is available for programs the participants may recommend. Wilder has asked the General Assembly for four budget amendments that would free $1.2 million for anti-drug initiatives. The assembly will consider the suggestions Wednesday.

by CNB