Charleston Drug Court
I was working at the Solicitor’s Office when this incident occurred. Someone had broken into the home of Charleston’s Chief of Police, Chief Mullen, and stolen items from inside. I remember my first thoughts were “I’d hate to be in that person’s shoes.” But the case took a drastically different turn than I think most people honestly would have predicted, well at least what I did (See article HERE).
Charleston County Drug Court
This young man was eventually caught, arrested, and then was given the opportunity to enter the DRUG COURT program. I support this program and think it is a great opportunity not just for those that have addiction problems who find their way in trouble with the criminal justice system but also for society as a whole. Drug crimes make up a majority of all criminal offenses in this state and as a society we need to address it. Slogans like “Just Say No to Drugs” have proven unrealistic and don’t combat the realities of drug addiction. What’s important to understand is that drug court is not for drug dealers, but rather those that have addiction issues that need and want help. This case is a great example of those efforts, how it can be successful, but also that it has the support of the police department within the community.
I find one of the most interesting factors of this case is not just that the offender broke into the Chief of Police’s home but that Chief Mullen stepped up and supported the program when it affected him directly as a victim of a crime. If you judge a person by how they lead, then Chief Mullen has set the standard. I believe that he recognizes the huge problem that not only law enforcement face, but also, how we as a society must deal with issues relating to drug addiction and what do we do about it. Arrests and prison time are just not a deterrent when people are struggling with their vices. It’s easy to stand up and talk about these programs and their benefits, but until you are a victim of crime yourself, stepping up and actually embracing the program is a whole different ball game. That is why this case caught my eye, when you’re the head of the Charleston Police Department and a victim of crime it would have been easy for the Chief to command that this offender be prosecuted to the full letter of the law, and quite frankly no one would have blamed him. However, Chief Mullen made the conscious decision to look to alternatives to resolving not only this particular offense but certain future offenses committed by the same person without the help of the drug court program.
Charleston Criminal Defense Attorney
If you have a possible Drug Court issue in your case call an experienced and trusted Charleston criminal attorney at the Dale Savage Law Firm today for a free case consultation (843) 530-7813.