Pubdate: Wed, 31 Mar 2004
Source: Wilson County News (TX)
Copyright: 2004 Wilson County News.
Contact:  http://www.wilsoncountynews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3021
Author: Bill O'Connell
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/corrupt.htm (Corruption - United States)

GUADALUPE COUNTY OFFICIALS CITE CONCERNS OVER 'TURF WARS'

SEGUIN - The 81st Judicial District Narcotics Task Force might be on the 
verge of expanding, despite reluctance by elected officials in Guadalupe 
County to grant police powers to narcotics agents who investigate 
drug-related crimes.

Based in Floresville, the 81st district's task force conducts anti-drug 
operations in Wilson, Frio, Atascosa, La Salle, and Karnes counties. A plan 
to broaden the organization's jurisdiction with oversight by the Department 
of Public Safety would expand the task force into Gonzales, Lavaca, and 
Guadalupe counties.

The Guadalupe County Commission-ers' Court unanimously rejected a proposal 
March 23 to grant task-force personnel the authority to carry out police 
work within the county's borders. The request was made by DPS, which plans 
to open a task-force office in downtown Seguin and staff it with DPS 
narcotics agents and sheriff's department officers from Gonzales and Lavaca 
counties.

"I don't want any turf wars coming in here with two different agencies," 
Guadalupe County Commissioner Jim Wolverton said.

Guadalupe County operates its own narcotics unit, which is staffed with 
personnel previously assigned to the 24th and 25th Judicial District 
Narcotics Task Force. Formerly headquartered in Seguin, the 24th and 25th 
task force was disbanded in 2003 after audits conducted by both local and 
state officials indicated drugs and other evidence were missing from the 
task force's vault.

The aftermath of those audits included the city of Seguin's relinquishment 
of its control over the task force, as well as some finger-pointing from 
task-force personnel who complained that some DPS officials were harassing 
them.

There are 47 narcotics task forces in Texas, and the governor's Criminal 
Justice Division provides funding while DPS officials ensure that the 
narcotics agencies are in compliance with operational policies and 
procedures established by the state.

"We've got so much infighting between DPS and the task force," said 
Guadalupe County Judge Donald Schraub. The judge said he wanted to see a 
"cleaner contract" that more clearly specified funding and other aspects of 
the DPS proposal for a new task force in Seguin.

Upon the dissolution of the 24th and 25th task force, some cash and 
equipment from the Seguin unit was allocated to the 81st task force.

"We lost $163,000 to Wilson County," said Guadalupe County Sheriff Arnold 
Zwicke, who oversees his department's narcotics unit and advised county 
commissioners against approving the proposed agreement to extend 
territorial jurisdiction to the expanding 81st Task Force.

"I have a little heartburn with $163,000 leaving," the Seguin task force 
and ending up at the 81st task force, Zwicke said. "Now we're going to be 
asked to put money back into it [81st task force]. I can't go along with that."

The proposed agreement that was rejected by Guadalupe County commissioners 
did not include any requests for funding. If the county decided to approve 
the agreement, it would have had the discretion of assigning 
law-enforcement personnel on the county payroll to the task force.

Other factors could affect the future of all multi-agency task forces, 
according to DPS officials.

Availability of federal funds could change as an anticipated shift in 
priorities toward Homeland Security draws more attention and money from 
authorities in Washington. In Texas, federal funds earmarked for fighting 
drug crimes are dispersed through the Office of the Governor's Criminal 
Justice Division.

DPS Lt. Stan Bonewitz said the upcoming budget year that begins June 1 
might bring "further restructuring and further refining of task forces, 
which will allow for a larger pool of resources."

DPS and the 81st task force could open a Seguin office despite the lack of 
cooperation from officials in Guadalupe County. A law-enforcement officer 
working with a DPS agent would automatically be authorized to conduct 
police work under the umbrella of jurisdiction that applies to the state's 
police force.

"The DPS jurisdiction would extend to them [non-DPS officers]," Bonewitz said.

Bonewitz, who pointed out that the ultimate decision on expanding the 81st 
task force will not be made by him, said the agency he works for has 
successfully partnered with task forces and other law-enforcement agencies 
throughout the state.

"Something I would always want to strive for is to foster a good, 
cooperative working agreement with everyone," Bonewitz said.

"As a DPS officer, I don't have a turf war," Bonewitz continued after 
Guadalupe County officials turned away the DPS request. "I'm just as 
concerned with the drug problem in Guadalupe or Wilson [counties]."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom