Just hours before sunrise on February 13, 2013, members of the Tuscaloosa Police Department in conjunction with the West Alabama Narcotics Task Force quietly assembled on the campus of the University of Alabama. Around 3:00am doors were being simultaneously knocked down across campus by officers wearing tactical vests and toting military style assault rifles. According to Connor Sheets of al.com, 61 students were taken into custody on drug charges that cold February night. With a few exceptions, the overwhelming majority of these arrests were for relatively small or trace amounts of marijuana. This night in 2013 began a snowball effect of further strained relations between U.A. students and Tuscaloosa P.D. Generally speaking, most students
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According to the Tuscaloosa News, in November of 2012, IRS auditors found irregularities in the accounting practices of the West Alabama Narcotics Task Force. This prompted a thorough investigation of the agency by the FBI, and while nothing of criminal nature was found at the time, it left a stain on the departments reputation. Fast forward 3 months and the Tuscaloosa P.D and West Alabama Narcotics Task Force were touting their largest bust ever. Many people in the community and at the University felt that the bust was just an effort to clean up their corrupt image and rake in more money in form of federal funding. In an interview with al.com, Lance Brock, a lawyer who specializes in drug offenses, said that “There 's no distinction between arresting a drug lord or arresting a college student who has a couple of joints. An arrest is an arrest and there 's no question that it 's important for law enforcement, in order to maintain funding or increase the level of funding for drug enforcement” (Sheets). To make matters worse for the Tuscaloosa Police Department, Jeff Snyder, the head of the West Alabama Narcotics Task Force, was federally indicted for stealing $125,000 in assets seized by his unit. FBI special agent Richard D. Schwein Jr. said that, “Mr. Snyder tarnished the badge he wore and violated the trust of the people of West Alabama” (Dethrage). Synder pleaded guilty and served and eighteen month prison
According to the Tuscaloosa News, in November of 2012, IRS auditors found irregularities in the accounting practices of the West Alabama Narcotics Task Force. This prompted a thorough investigation of the agency by the FBI, and while nothing of criminal nature was found at the time, it left a stain on the departments reputation. Fast forward 3 months and the Tuscaloosa P.D and West Alabama Narcotics Task Force were touting their largest bust ever. Many people in the community and at the University felt that the bust was just an effort to clean up their corrupt image and rake in more money in form of federal funding. In an interview with al.com, Lance Brock, a lawyer who specializes in drug offenses, said that “There 's no distinction between arresting a drug lord or arresting a college student who has a couple of joints. An arrest is an arrest and there 's no question that it 's important for law enforcement, in order to maintain funding or increase the level of funding for drug enforcement” (Sheets). To make matters worse for the Tuscaloosa Police Department, Jeff Snyder, the head of the West Alabama Narcotics Task Force, was federally indicted for stealing $125,000 in assets seized by his unit. FBI special agent Richard D. Schwein Jr. said that, “Mr. Snyder tarnished the badge he wore and violated the trust of the people of West Alabama” (Dethrage). Synder pleaded guilty and served and eighteen month prison