Commander John J. Burke
Commander Burke has been a law enforcement officer for 37 years, spending 32 years with the Cincinnati Police Department, and the last nine years in charge of the department’s Pharmaceutical Diversion Squad. He was also assigned to uniform patrol, homicide, child sexual assault, and as a Sergeant in the Internal Investigations Unit.

Commander Burke became in charge of the drug task force in October 1999, and is responsible for the overall operation. He reports to the drug task force policy board made up of a cross section of law enforcement agencies within the jurisdictions.

Lt. Steve Arrasmith, Field Commander
Lt. Arrasmith has been a Deputy Sheriff with the Warren County Sheriff’s Office since 1992. He has held assignments as a uniform deputy with the Patrol Division, a Detective and Detective Sergeant with the Criminal Investigation Division. Lt. Arrasmith has also been assigned to the Drug Task Force as a narcotics detective and currently holds the position of Field Commander. In addition to his duties as Field Commander, Lt. Arrasmith also leads the Drug Task Force Clandestine Laboratory Response Team.

Lt. Arrasmith is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps, a graduate of the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Drug Unit Commanders Academy and the Police Executive Leadership College. He has completed the DEA Advanced Narcotics Course and is certified by the DEA in the investigation and processing of clandestine drug laboratories. Lt. Arrasmith has received extensive specialized training in narcotics and drug related investigations through the Office of Criminal Justice and the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy.

As the Drug Task Force Field Commander, Lt. Arrasmith is responsible for the supervision of daily operations including undercover drug investigations, execution of search warrants and arrest warrants, and surveillance operations He spends the majority of his time in the field assisting and supervising investigators with pending drug investigations. Lt. Arrasmith is also responsible for reviewing task force cases prior to their submission for prosecution.

Detective Dennis Luken
Warren County and Wilmington are no exception to the extensive prescription drug problem. Fortunately, the drug task force has one of the premier investigators in the United States employed at our office.

Detective Luken retired from the Cincinnati Police Department in 2001 and came to work with over 25 years of law enforcement experience. Detective Luken had extensive experience in investigations while employed with CPD that included uniform, plainclothes investigations, asset forfeiture, and as an investigator with the Pharmaceutical Diversion Squad.

The drug task force is fortunate to have such an experienced investigator in the area of prescription drug abuse. Detective Luken handles all of the caseload involving the diversion of prescription drugs, and does an excellent job of monitoring the asset forfeitures seized by members of the drug task force.

Detective Luken is well known by physicians, dentists, and pharmacists in our area who he works with on a daily basis. Prescription drug abuse arrests account for 25-30% of the overall arrests made by the drug task force each year.

Detective Luken is available to provide a presentation on prescription drug abuse to your meeting or organization in Warren County or Wilmington.