Ex-Cop Gives Tips On How To Hide Drugs

(AP)  A one-time Texas drug agent described by his former boss as perhaps the best narcotics officer in the country plans to market a how-to video on concealing drugs and fooling police.

Barry Cooper, who has worked for small police departments in East Texas, plans to launch a Web site next week where he will sell his video, "Never Get Busted Again," the Tyler Morning Telegraph reported in its online edition Thursday.

A promotional video says Cooper will show viewers how to "conceal their stash," "avoid narcotics profiling" and "fool canines every time."

Cooper, who said he favors the legalization of marijuana, made the video in part because he believes the nation's fight against drugs is a waste of resources. Busting marijuana users fills up prisons with nonviolent offenders, he said.

"My main motivation in all of this is to teach Americans their civil liberties and what drives me in this is injustice and unfairness in our system," Cooper told the newspaper.

Cooper said his Web site should be operating by Tuesday.

As a drug officer, Cooper said, he made more than 800 drug arrests and seized more than 50 vehicles and $500,000 in cash and assets.

"He was even better than he says he was," said Tom Finley, Cooper's former boss on a West Texas drug task force and now a private investigator in Midland. "He was probably the best narcotics officer in the state and maybe the country during his time with the task force."

News of the video has angered authorities, including Richard Sanders, an agent with the Tyler Drug Enforcement Agency. Sanders said he plans to investigate whether the video violates any laws.

"It outrages me personally as I'm sure it does any officer that has sworn an oath to uphold the laws of this state, and nation," Sanders said. "It is clear that his whole deal is to make money and he has found some sort of scheme, but for him to go to the dark side and do this is infuriating."

Smith County Deputy Constable Mark Waters, a narcotics officer, said the video is insulting to law enforcement officials.

"This is a slap in the face to all that we do to uphold the laws and keep the public safe," he said.

[KeithDrippingSprings]

Barry is now being harassed and has lost the custody of his step son. The father of the step son in a recent interview said that he was threatened with some trumped up charges if he didn't pursue the custody of his son. He was also threatened by child protective services that if he didn't try to get custody of his son that they would put him in the foster child system and he would never be able to see his son again. Berry his wife and her ex husband had a friendly relationship before the pressure by the State of Texas.


There is more to this story than marijuana laws. There are little fiefdoms in Texas where trouble makers wake up dead and the perps are never found. These so called law enforcement officers are making a killing off of the margins of society and will not give up their power easily. The Federal agents are in collusion with the locals because they can always depend on the illegal actions of the local law to get them a bust when they need it for their next raise.

If you think this kind of activity is the exception or just in Texas, you are mistaken. The exception is a local jurisdiction led by honorable men and women trying to keep us safe and upholding the law.

[KeithDrippingSprings]

What needs to happen is for some very rich guy that has been misused by law enforcement to partner up with Barry and go around the states busting lawless cops all over the US, and their prosecutor accomplices.

The real problem is the boss Hog types will kill you, and they are all over running their little fiefdoms and getting fat on the margins of society. This type of illegal activity by law enforcement isn't an unusual occurrence. What is unusual is a department that is honest and dedicated to the law.

[hsmagst]

To r_bayless: Pot smoking does directly affect others....it may not be as sudden as a murder or robbery but it does effect eventually. Stoners aren't smart enough to "only" do it in the confines of their home....they have to use in places where it effects others, like at a concert. I don't smoke but sure get exposed to it when I do go to one. And as a manager for a large aerospace company, I had to deal with the jerks that thought it was ok to go to lunch and come back loaded. And they were worthless the rest of the shift. The company I worked for had a program to rehab the stoners and drunks and it cost over $10,000 each time, we had to give them 3 chances and you know what.....less than 10% ever stayed clean. So we ended up putting up with their lack of production, carried all their benefits AND spent $30,000 before we could fire them. Stoners and drunks are worthless to a society that wants to be productive. As for the Netherlands, its not the stoners that are producing the software......its the intellectual segment that is having to pay for the societal costs for the druggies. Do you really think people like Bill Gates are allowing programmers to kick back, put their heels on their desk and light up? I'm betting he knows the liability he would be under and does what he can to prevent it. Just as he would someone drinking on the job.

[intn1]

r_bayless

I agree, people have to fight back against laws that they deem immoral/illogical. It's what makes the country work; free speech. I guess what annys me most is that it's an ex cop who swore to serve and protect. On the other hand, I go to school with potheads who haven't been caught yet. They don't need a website to help them, they are perfectly cabable of hiding their weed. But still, this cop is giving all the good cops a bad name.

[olgreyghost]

r_bayless:

"Don't let the stereotypes dictate your decision making."

As a proud Libertarian Redneck, I could take great offense at your use of the term "redneck" in the derogatory inference that you used it in but I won't. :)

[olgreyghost]

hsmagst:

"Do we really need businesses to start paying for more rehab...(?)"

Read my last post more carefully. The answer is an emphatic "NO!"

"I still say as a society, we do not need to legalize another "societal abuse" just in the name of freedom."

Societal abuse is legal. We call it the "War on (some)Drugs." :)

The proper term for recreational drugs is to "decriminalize" since they were legal once before. And we are a society based on individual liberty and it is the position of government to prove it has a valid case before it can restrict that freedom and that case is not made when some intoxicants and medications which can and are abused are legal and others are not. Those who read my postings here at CBS or any of my other works out there in cyberspace should know if I am consistent on anything it is Liberty, first and always.

[kailumego1]

Now you understand why some folks cry police corruption, I'm not surprise, this is America, the "free market system", where individuals can live the American dream of being "rich, amoral, and corrupted".

It just makes me wonder, actually, how good was he, as one of the best narcotics officier in the country, obvious they had little expectations, or his comrades were just as corrupt as he.

[intn1]

Who cares whether or not pot should be legal, this ex-cop is wrong. He swore to uphold the laws of the nation, and he pretty much went in and learned how cops work, and is now telling people how to get away with doing things illegally. Hmm...Sounds like he was pretty much a spy to the junkies.

[mitch0927]

The richest person in the world was stoned most of the time while designing the operating system you are probable using right now.

[hsmagst]

To OlGreyGhost: Of course it will never go away but prohibitive laws do help deter some people from getting involved. Think of what our society would be like if murder were not outlawed. Or if robbery were not outlawed. People would be afraid to walk the streets or sleep in their houses. YOu will never prevent that segment of society that wants to go against what is best for all from doing so. I just don't think we need to legalize another substance that can be abused and make it easier to get. Even if it does put money in the governments coffers. Look at the societies that do not enforce any laws against pot, such as the Neatherlands, and see what a blight it is on their society. When was the last time you heard of some great invention or discovery coming from those countries that benefited the world. Stoners are seldom the cream of the crop and having known a few, they are also the least productive members of our society and cause a lot of problems for the firms and businesses that employ them. Do we really need businesses to start paying for more rehab for users so they can pass their next drug test....after all, its only about $10,000 a pop....and of course we all know that once clean, they never go back to using. I still say as a society, we do not need to legalize another "societal abuse" just in the name of freedom.