Relief Workers Committing Crimes on the Coast

Coast crime up in wake of Katrina

By Robin Fitzgerald
The Sun Herald

GULFPORT — Public safety trends post-Katrina show an increase in traffic violations, illegal drugs and property crimes. And, according to authorities, crimes by out-of-state residents who are here to help with hurricane recovery.

Now that law enforcement agencies have switched from rescue efforts to recovery, they report a steady increase in traffic violations, traffic accidents and crashes caused by drivers without insurance.

They also report that traffic stops, in many cases, lead to drug arrests, which have tripled in Harrison County's unincorporated areas, according to Sheriff George H. Payne Jr. Patrol officers and investigators countywide who also report an increase in different types of property crimes.

"It's requiring extra manpower every shift," said Payne, whose deputies, along with area police agencies, have help from 155 out-of-state officers. After the hurricane, an estimated 700 visiting officers came to help.

An increase in arrests of out-of-state visitors, however, is not surprising, Payne said.

"If you study other areas that have been through a disaster on a smaller scale, they've had the same trend. When you have thousands of out-of-state workers coming in, you're going to see an increase in the opportunity kind of crimes from people who don't live here."

Take Tuesday, for instance. At least seven of the 26 people jailed in Harrison County on felony charges are from out of state.

A man arrested in Gulfport was listed as a fugitive on a cocaine distribution charge from Wayne County, Ind. Two others were wanted for auto theft from Scott City, Md.

Most arrests of out-of-state residents involve people who have come here to work or serve as volunteers, said Sheriff's Capt. Tony Sauro, who coordinates visiting officers' work from a command center in Gulfport.

"A lot of those we're arresting are relief workers or construction personnel, people from every imaginable agency," Sauro said. "A lot of them are driving with a suspended license and no insurance. Wouldn't it be a shame to be victimized all over again by somebody that came here to help?"

Officers overlooked tagless vehicles and numerous traffic violations just after the hurricane, he said, "but that's changing. We've got to hold people responsible. We'd rather do it before they hurt or kill someone."

Visiting officers also help local patrol officers keep an eye out for criminal activity, said Long Beach Deputy Police Chief Wayne McDowell.

On Tuesday, officers in Long Beach arrested four construction workers from Texas who were south of the railroad tracks. They were charged with trespassing and possession of stolen property.

McDowell said officers observed the men south of the railroad tracks, walking down Pelican Lane.

They're accused of picking up tools including a bench grinder, a chain saw, floor jacks, wrenches and screw drivers. Their vehicle, he said, was parked a street over on Harbor View Road.