Wednesday, September 19, 2007
| Story Date: Monday, April 17, 2006 Federal cuts worrisome Sheriff: 'The community should really be concerned about this ...' By Brooke Vermillion Reporter The agency reportedly responsible for taking an average of $460,000 worth of illegal drugs off the streets of Pope, Johnson and Franklin counties each month in 2005 may be forced to operate on less than 20 percent of its previous budget if Congress passes the nation's proposed budget. But according to the agency's coordinator, the budget cuts for the 5th Judicial District Drug Task Force -- along with most other drug task force agencies in the state -- would not affect just the people directly involved. "My main issue is: Who is going to pick up the slack for the drug task force when they're no longer around?" DTF Coordinator Larry Johnson of Clarksville asked. "We know our sheriff's departments don't have time to work with drugs, and our police departments don't have the time, so who's going to take this $4,972,723 worth of drugs off the streets every year?" Pope County Sheriff Jay Winters has asked the same question. "The community should really be concerned about this," the sheriff said, "because every day we get calls from people who give us information about a potential drug site, drug deal or something pertaining to drugs. And if somebody doesn't stay on top of it, it's going to get out of hand. "But we (the sheriff's office) just don't have the resources to handle all of those drug cases." Johnson said all local law enforcement agencies routinely pass on drug-related matters to the DTF, such as reports of suspicious activity, arrest information, or if an undercover operation is needed to make an arrest. Winters said, "They initiate the lion's share of [drug cases] in the county. ... It would be very difficult for us (the sheriff's office) to follow up on all of the drug activity." The second cut This year is not the first time the DTF has endured a possible cut in funding. Just last year, funding was slashed by 35 percent. "We really had to cut back (after the first funding cut), but we were still able to operate," Johnson said, adding the task force lost an agent because of the cut. He said the agency has not been operating as efficiently as it could before the first funding cut. "There's equipment we've needed to buy and things we needed to do, because with what we do, equipment is updated every day," Johnson said of items such as surveillance equipment and computer programs. "If we don't do something, we're going to fall far behind. Because we need to monitor what's going on on the streets." But instead of help, the agency only hears more cuts are coming. Just recently, the sheriff's office, DTF and the judicial district prosecuting attorney's office -- all part of the RIVER VALLEY METH PROJECT -- were one of three groups in the state recognized for combating the local drug problem. But after they were recognized, the notice came that stated the federal grant that funds the agency would be cut again in July -- this time by 47 percent, totaling an 82 percent cut within two years. "We don't quite understand," Johnson said. "They pat us on the back with one hand, then pull our funding with the other. We can't do our job like that." He noted the DTF in the Fifth Judicial District is not funded by any local organization like many other task force agencies in the state that receive funding from their local sheriff's and police departments. "They don't have the money either," Johnson said. "I don't think they could help support the drug task force, and I don't think the taxpayers want to pass a tax to support us. Because this is not just a local problem. Drugs are a national problem because most of them come here from other states." What's being done Within the last month, every city council in Pope County, along with the RIVER VALLEY METH PROJECT and Pope County Quorum Court, has passed a resolution urging the Arkansas congressional delegation to support the reinstatement of the Byrne Grant or find alternative funding for the DTF agencies. Although there is no guarantee, congressmen have been pushed to reinstate the grant in 2007. But for at least one year, the DTF would be operating on less than 20 percent of their normal budget. Sheriff Winters said DTF funding was not a political party issue, because congressmen on both sides have shown support of the grant reinstatement, such as Rep. John Boozman, Sen. Mark Pryor, Sen. Blanche Lincoln, and even Delaware Sen. Joseph Biden has shown support for Arkansas' DTF. "The nation knows that meth is a plague throughout the United States, and it's one of the worst we've ever dealt with," Winters said. "So for [legislators] to stand up and admit we have this terrible problem, then cut the funding that fights it -- that's not good business." Arkansas Drug Director Keith Rutledge explained the Byrne Grant, which is from the National Justice Department, was transformed into a Justice Assistance Grant (JAG), which requires a state and local match. The federal government would then supply the local match based on specific crime rates. Rutledge said, "Congress didn't appropriate the money. ... But every time you have to cut back on any kind of law enforcement, you just have to reshuffle the deck and figure out a different way to get the funding." The justice department council will meet Thursday to look at other options for DTF funding, such as tax turnback or unused appropriated funds. |