An officer in Savannah developed a bold but simple approach to drug busts. This uniformed patrolman would walk up to a known drug house or party and knock on the door. The occupant would answer the door with almost the same greeting every time. In fact, the similarity of the incidents was astounding. Each person reacted in almost the same manner every time the officer tried this very direct approach to crime busting. It went something like this:
Dumb Criminal opens door. “Uh . . . hello, officer. Is the music too loud? Did someone complain?”
“Nah, I just wanted to buy a bag of dope.”
“Huh?”
“Do you have a bag of dope I can buy?”
“Well . . . but you’re a cop.”
“So? Can’t I buy a bag of dope?”
“But . . . ”
“Hey, I’m cool, okay?”
“Cool. Wait right here.”
A minute later, the dumb (and about-to-be arrested) criminal would be selling the uniformed officer a bag of dope.
The bold officer made so many arrests this way that he was promoted to detective in record time. Almost all of his arrests were pleaded out without a trial because the criminals didn’t want to admit in court they had sold drugs to a uniformed cop at their own apartment.