MCSO, Prichard Police work in tandem to take down criminals

PRICHARD, Ala. (WALA) - Efforts among several local law enforcement departments is laying ground work for efforts to fight crime in an increased capacity.

Authorities and prosecutors are preparing the cases now against 13 people arrested in a drug raid on two area homes in this week.

Making the bust

Law enforcement agents donned protective helmets and vests as they converged on homes on Thomas Avenue and Margie Street in Prichard Thursday afternoon.

Prichard Police were on the scene, but so were deputies from the U. S. Marshal's Office and the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office.

Authorities rounded up almost a dozen people, and said they confiscated cocaine, synthetic marijuana (spice) and money.

Dorothy Ferrell-Rowser, the acting-Prichard Police Chief, said, "This area over here is one of our most infested areas in the city. We have had a number of complaints from our citizens regarding the activity, the drug activity."

Related: several arrested in Prichard drug bust

A cooperative effort

Mobile County Sheriff Sam Cochran said sheriff’s deputies served the search warrants on the two houses as part of an ongoing cooperative effort with the City of Prichard.

Cochran said, "We had just recently met, I had met, with the Mayor of the City of Prichard, and had communications with him and the police chief out there. They were identifying some problem areas that they had, and seeking our assistance.  They're challenged in some areas right now with the resources in Prichard, and they sought our assistance.”

Cochran said the Sheriff’s office is there to help.

Working together

Prichard's interim police chief and her officers had done the leg work earlier in the week.

Ferrell-Rowser said, "As I drove through right here on Thomas Avenue and Elaine Street, we had about 15 cars coming out. Of course, the drug dealers, they know the police cars and they all just scattered."

Cochran said this won't be the end of such joint efforts in fighting crime.

He said, "It's not just a problem for the City of Prichard, because, what goes on in the City of Prichard will also evolve, or spread, into other areas of the county, and, so, we're going to help any of the cities throughout the county."

Ferrell-Rowser said, "We're hoping that the drug dealers have gotten the message that we're going to shut you down."

Sheriff Cochran said information for this case came from the "Crime Tips" page on the Sheriff's Office website.

Click here to visit the MCSO's website.