Center PD Traffic Stop Results in Drug Bust; K9 Taz Strikes Again

Cedric GeeSeptember 7, 2016 - Center PD patrol Officer Andrew Williams was on routine patrol, and Officer Steve Thornburgh with his K9 partner Taz were on duty working S.T.E.P. (Selective traffic enforcement program) on Wednesday, August 31. The Officers observed a White Dodge Magnum speeding through the Union Acres apartment complex parking lot at that time and the officers initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle due to the unsafe speed. After the officers made contact with the occupants of the vehicle, it was discovered that the passenger who was identified as 31-year-old Cedric Gee had in his possession a small amount of methamphetamine.

At this point the officers continued to investigate where the narcotics came from. The officers learned that there possibly were more illegal narcotics in an apartment at the Union Acres apartments, and the resident of the apartment was not aware that the illegal narcotics were in the apartment. The officers made contact with the resident of the apartment, and got consent to search the apartment.

K9 handler officer Thornburgh utilized Taz, one of Center Police Department's narcotics dogs. Taz quickly identified illegal narcotics that were hidden in the apartment, and along with the illegal narcotics the officers found a stolen gun in the residence. Gee admitted to the officers that the narcotics and the gun were his. The officers also learned Gee was a convicted felon making it illegal for him to have a firearm.

Gee was arrested for the stolen firearm, felon in possession of a firearm, possession of controlled substance, and failure to identify.

Taz would like for the local drug dealers to know if they want their competition eliminated, just contact his partner officer Steve Thornburgh at the center Police Department and let him know who their competition is and they will eliminate their competition for them.