Cedar Rapids police ask for Help locating neighborhood drug activity

The calls come in. And come in.

“We get calls all the time that there may be some drug dealings going on next door,” Sgt. Cristy Hamblin said of tips calls that come in to the Cedar Rapids Police Department over alleged drug activity.

Yet Hamblin also said if the police had enough manpower, they “could work 24 hours a day” on the drug dealers.

In recent months, police investigations have led to arrests, at homes and apartment complexes, throughout the city. A January marijuana bust at a Kirkwood Boulevard complex led to five arrests. In March, law enforcement arrested three people at 318 30th Street Drive SE in a meth lab investigation. Later that month, an investigation led to one of the department's K-9 units uncovering nearly $500,000 worth of marijuana in a storage facility.

Police encourage neighbors to keep eyes, ears and even a nose out for suspicious activity.

“Strong ammonia,” said Hamblin on what to be aware of. “Discarded batteries. Sudafed packages.” She said even spotting extension cords coming out of a garage are worth checking out.

When people look to take the step from being suspicious to taking action, Hamblin encourages picking up a police brochure titled, “Common Drug Trafficking Indicators”, available at headquarters or on the department's website. The back of the brochure has an empty chart for people to fill in information, such as dates or writing down specific activity.

“It is a problem and we are asking people to be vigilant in their neighborhood,” said Hamblin.

Accuracy and detail are critical as drug investigations are not a perfect science. On August 12, at least a dozen officers, some in SWAT gear, served a narcotics search warrant at a home on the city's northeast side. The team broke down the door and told the adults to get outside. After handcuffing the man and woman who lived at the property, investigators did not find any drugs nor did they make any arrests.

While that home was occupied, Hamblin said open lots or buildings are a natural place for suspicion and Cedar Rapids has plenty of blocks with empty homes right now.

“That's what they are looking for, a house in the middle of a block,” said Hamblin. “They use it to make meth for a night or two and leave the remnants for us to clean up.”