Cordova police will strengthen drug enforcement

A Cordova Police Department vehicle. (Aug. 10, 2020) Photo by Zachary Snowdon Smith/The Cordova Times

The Cordova Police Department will step up its drug policing with traffic stops and use of a detection dog, interim Police Chief Nate Taylor said in a Nov. 17 appearance on Cordova Radio.

A policing survey conducted in August by the city found that many Cordova residents were concerned that illicit drugs would taint Cordova’s family-friendly image.

“Drug dealers known to the entire community are allowed to continue selling drugs with no consequence… it is no longer looked at as a good place to raise a family,” wrote one survey respondent.

Drug offenses can be difficult to enforce and prosecute, Taylor said.  In previous years, drug enforcement efforts have also been hindered by understaffing. However, Taylor said it’s also important to remember that the punishment of offenders is determined by the courts, and that perceived insufficient punishment of drug offenders cannot necessarily be attributed to the police.

The Nov. 17 radio appearance was the first of a series of public conversations involving the Cordova Police Department, prompted by a broader national debate about policing.

“The police department needs to be much more transparent and open, so that people really understand who they are and what they are able to do, and what they are not able to do,” City Manager Helen Howarth said.

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