Legend among cops

Drew was among the best of the best in law enforcement. During his legendary career he was responsible for putting more than 500 bad guys in prison.

He was so good at what he did that criminal defense lawyers preferred not to have him testify. Instead, they'd advise their clients to enter a plea rather than risk a jury trial where the penalty would almost certainly go higher.

One of Drew's important cases in the early 1980s went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. In that case, two men were convicted of breaking into a home improvement store and stealing expensive power tools.

Deputies called Drew out in the middle of the night to work that case. The veteran sleuth tracked the burglars through thickets and mud fields until the posse reached a ramshackle hut along a dirt road.

Based on the law of hot pursuit, Drew led his fellow officers up the front porch steps. The command: "Police! Open up!" was quickly followed by a swift kick of a police boot.

Inside, the cops found two men hiding under bed covers. Drew had skillfully followed the suspects' trail for more than three miles through rough terrain from the crime scene to the arrest scene.

Lawyers appealed the conviction, but by the time it was over, the highest court in the land upheld Drew's actions and the conviction stood.

The warrantless arrest was valid, the high court said, because Drew maintained hot pursuit of the suspects, even though the posse was hours behind the burglars.

Drew died nearly a decade ago from cancer, but in the minds of many law enforcement veterans who knew of him, the mere mention of Drew's name stirs a feeling of pride for deeds that may never again be equalled. Drew was, indeed, a truly remarkable- police bloodhound

CallTheCops@sc.rr.com