The Greater Hardin County Drug Task Force is dealing with a 2007 budget cut, which could possibly close their doors for good.

The task force is comprised of officers from three counties: Hardin, Grayson, and Nelson.

Officer's salaries and benefits are funded through each individual county's department.

Director Wayne Edwards says, “It takes $300,000 cash money to operate each year. The rest is made up of seized assets from drug dealers. Agencies involved in the task force contribute almost $470,000 a year for salaries and benefits of employees.”

About 60% of funding comes from the Edward Byrn Memorial Grant and the Justice Assistance Grant. For the last two years the state has contributed 17% to the Elizabethtown office.

“ The United States Congress appropriated almost $650 million dollars to be awarded to the drug battle last year,” explained Edwards. “The president had a closed door meeting in mid December and voted against it. That left only $170 million to be divided between all drug enforcement agencies in the country.”

Edwards added that was a 65% decrease in funding available to law enforcement and military agencies in the United States. A crisis similar to this happened before in 2004.

“We are funded through June 30 of this year,” said Edwards. “The struggle will come through the next budget for the new fiscal year.”

The task force will look at two avenues if the issue arises concerning lack of funding. There is a possibility the doors will be closed permanently, or a bare bones budget cut will occur.

Staffing for the organization consists of 11 full-time and two part-time employees. Ten agencies make up the Greater Hardin County Drug Task Force.

“We are a multi-jurisdictional drug task force combined together with other agencies to attack one problem,” added Edwards.

The agency was notified on January 10 of $188,000 from Congressman Ron Lewis' office to assist with meth eradication efforts in the second district.

Funds will be directly allocated to train new officers and assist with efforts to locate and shut down meth laboratories.

“These funds will help local law enforcement officials pay for the cleanup and disposal of some very dangerous chemicals,” said Lewis. “We must continue our fight to ensure that federal, state, and local authorities have the resources and support necessary to combat this growing epidemic. This is a top priority for me and many of my colleagues here in Congress.”

Preliminary end-of-year totals for the task force showed 857 investigations and 529 arrests.

Totals for Grayson County in 2007 showed 92 drug trafficking arrests, five arrests for meth, two for cultivation of marijuana, 11 for various drugs, and 13 for other drug related crimes.

“The agency was short two people this past year or our numbers would have been higher than they were,” replied Edwards.

In 2007 the task force removed $2,124,973 worth of drugs, and seized over $312,000 in drug dealer assets. A total of 36 meth labs were also seized and dismantled.

Edwards felt the meth problem was on the rise yet again. In 2006 there were 116 meth arrests for the agency, but in 2007 it rose to 190 arrests. That is an increase of well over 50%.

Communities wanting to help out can contact state and federal representatives, and demand additional funding for the location.

Reporter

mmudd@gcnnewsgazette.com