Norwalk drug-ed officer charged

By AMANDA PIERRE
REGISTER STAFF WRITER

    Norwalk, Ia. – Thomas Nolan, a Norwalk police sergeant and drug-education officer, was charged with possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia after the Marion-Warren County drug task force searched his home Sunday, Warren County sheriff s officials reported.
    Nolan, 44, of 9129 Oakwood Drive, was released from the Warren County Jail after posting bond of $2,925.  He could not be reached for comment.
    Mayor Jerry Starkweather said Nolan had been suspend ed from his job without pay.  Starkweather would not comment on whether Nolan would return to the force.
    City Attorney Jim Dougherty said some Norwalk police officers brought suspicions about activities involving drugs and the Norwalk police to the attention of city officials two weeks ago.  The city asked Warren County officials to investigate the matter.
    Sgt. Dave Murillo of the Des Moines Police Department, who lives in Norwalk, said he learned from one Norwalk officer that narcotics evidence had been disappearing from the Norwalk department.
    Warren County sheriff’s officials would give no other details about the case, referring all questions to Dougherty.
    Nolan, a member of the Norwalk Police Department for 12 years, served as the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) officer at Lakewood Elementary School for more than five years, according to Tom Fish, school district superintendent.  Nolan conducted classes on the risks of drug abuse.
    Fish said he was surprised to hear of the allegations against Nolan and suspected that Nolan’s students would find it hard to see the situation unfold.   "I guess they can also see that there are consequences," Fish said.
    Warren County Deputy Randy Spuff will be Lakewood’s DARE officer for the remaining weeks of the prograrn.

Nolan
Suspended

Reporter Amanda Pierre can be
reached at (515) 284-8163 or
pierrea@news.dmreg.com

The Des Moines Register
Thursday, April 20, 1999, Page 1A
letters@news.dmreg.com