By Jane Prendergast
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Two Cincinnati police officers working overtime Tuesday for a low-income housing landlord in Over-the-Rhine say they caught a man with painkillers and more than an ounce of heroin.

Chris Whitfield, 29, of Avondale, was arrested and charged with five counts of felony drug possession and one of drug trafficking. Sgt. Brian Meyer and Officer Dan Kowalski, members of District 1's Violent Crime Squad and the department's Robbery Task Force, watched Mr. Whitfield hiding the drugs, according to court documents.

The officers were working for Hart Realty, the largest low-income housing company in Over-the-Rhine. Companies often get federal grants to pay officers to work the details.

The heroin was packaged into about 50 bundles.

"That's a lot of heroin,'' Officer Kowalski said. "You usually see much smaller amounts.''

Capt. Vince Demasi, acting commander of the department's investigations bureau, has said he is concerned about the increasing amount of heroin officers are finding on the streets.

Police said Mr. Whitfield also had 25 of the painkiller Percocet and more than 450 milligrams of Oxycontin, a painkiller.

Mr. Whitfield remained in the Hamilton County Justice Center on Wednesday in lieu of posting $30,000 bond. He was put on probation last year after being convicted of selling marijuana.

E-mail jprendergast@enquirer.com