"Working to attain a safe, drug-free community in which to live, work and raise your family"

The Town of Hamburg Narcotics Unit handles a diversity of cases involving illegal drug trade. From a doctor indicted for giving illegal prescriptions to recovering stolen guns on Buffalo's west side, the unit has strived to eradicate illegal drugs from our town, no matter where the investigations have led.

To that end, the unit has worked with such agencies as the New York State Police, the Buffalo, Evans, Lackawanna, Lancaster, and Orchard Park Police Departments as well as Federal Agencies such as the Drug Enforcement Agency, F.B.I. and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. It has also made arrests from information developed from crime watch groups and private citizens. This type of cooperation and information sharing between agencies and the public is integral to narcotics enforcement. This is especially true in the suburban dynamic of Hamburg where the illegal drugs are normally obtained and sometimes used outside the jurisdiction of the town, yet we are all tasked to deal with the problems of addiction and its aftermath.

This environment requires that the narcotics enforcement use a multifaceted approach wherein timely intelligence and open lines of communication are utilized. This is accomplished by documenting all field interviews and building a database that is easily accessible to all members of the department. Information must flow freely to and from the patrol division, which are the eyes and ears of the department, to the investigative division.

The unit understands the reality that stringent enforcement alone will not make drug addiction and its accompanying illegal activity disappear. The members are knowledgeable about the various treatment programs available, and have referred many arrestees to rehabilitation. The unit works closely with Judge Gorman's Drug Court, Frontier Resource Officer Dennis Horrigan, and the families of those affected. Furthering the commitment to combat drug abuse, the department has assigned a Detective to the D.E.A. Task Force, where Federal powers can be made part of the overall strategy.

Any information, questions, or input can be relayed to Capt. Jeff Lavelle at extension 2672. Confidentiality is strictly maintained.