Bloomington police added the charge while McFarland was in the Monroe County Jail for other drug charges, Capt. Joe Qualters said. According to the arrest report, a “series of controlled buys” led to the dealing in narcotics charge.
A Bloomington Police Department informant bought heroin from McFarland in January, Qualters said. The most recent charge was added to McFarland’s record Tuesday.
A Q&A with Capt. Joe Qualters on informants
IDS Why did you wait so long between January and March to address McFarland’s dealing charge?
JQ Drug dealing is a dirty business. You’re also trying to protect your confidential informant. If you create a little distance, it’s not as easy for them to draw the correlation between the buy and the arrest.
IDS How are the investigations conducted?
JQ They’re controlled. Investigators have to actually see the person enter and exit. An informant would be checked beforehand, go in, do the buy. They’re provided with funds to give the dealer. When they get out, they provide the drugs.
IDS How much money is provided for the buy? How large is the BPD informant budget?
JQ I don’t know. That’s not really my area. It’s enough for us to be able to do business.
IDS Are there other drugs besides heroin that you use controlled buys for?
JQ We find everything, from pills to heroin to meth, anything. Marijuana. The drug investigators take what comes to them.
Hannah Alani
