It could not have come at a better time. Fayetteville Police Chief Steve Heaton accepted the department’s share of money seized in 2007 as part of Operation Shooting Star. Heaton received a $92,232.43 check from Sheriff Randall Johnson in a brief ceremony Monday.

Heaton said the seized drug funds would be put to good use. He said priorities for the department include the purchase of additional in-car camera units to replace the old department-made cameras.

“We have a goal of one unit per car and we’re about half way there,” Heaton said.

The department needs another 16 cameras to meet the goal. Camera units cost approximately $5,000 each, Heaton said.

Also a priority is the purchase of a third drug dog, along with necessary outfitting of a patrol unit at a total cost of approximately $15,000 to $17,000. Along with other technology upgrades, the department would like to have patrol units outfitted with wireless communications. The price tag for that comes in at around $78,000, Heaton said.

Fayette’s Drug Task Force (DTF) has long been involved in drug busts both at home and around the metro Atlanta area. DTF is part of the multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program that has targeted Mexican drug trafficking organizations such as those targeted in Operation Shooting Star.

Operation Shooting Star resulted in 35 arrests and the seizure of 111 kilograms of cocaine, 17 pounds of crystal methamphetamine, approximately $9 million in cash and at least 32 firearms.

The $92,232 received by Fayetteville came as a result of a traffic stop by Fayette DTF in October 2007 where more than $3.5 million in cash was seized.

Tyrone Police also received a similar check Monday for its participation in the task force with Operation Shooting Star.

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