Pubdate: Thu, 21 Jul 2005
Source: Joplin Globe, The (MO)
Copyright: 2005 The Joplin Globe
Contact:  http://www.joplinglobe.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/859
Author: John Hacker
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

LOCAL OFFICIALS: DRUG TASK FORCES COULD FOLD

President Calls For Funding Cutbacks

PINEVILLE, Mo. - Efforts by local law officers to control the
methamphetamine problem would be crippled if President Bush and his
Office of National Drug Control Policy have their way, according to
the local officers.

The Bush administration says it wants to eliminate the $634 million
Byrne Grant program, which, along with local matches, pays more than
half the costs of operating three area task forces charged with
investigating drug cases in Southwest Missouri and Southeast Kansas.

"I don't know how we would operate if we lost the Byrne Grant
funding," said Frank Lundien, coordinator of the Jasper County Drug
Task Force, based in Joplin. "If we relied solely on MoSMART money and
the 25 percent local match, that's not really enough money to operate.
Losing the Byrne Grant money would seriously hinder our ability to
investigate drug crimes."

Lundien said the Byrne Grant is providing $125,375.83 in funding this
year, and the Jasper County sheriff and local police departments
provide an additional $41,791.94 for the Jasper County Drug Task
Force. MoSMART, which stands for Missouri Sheriff Methamphetamine
Relief Task Force, is a state grant program that is the task force's
third source of revenue. MoSMART will provide $97,825 this year.

If Bush's plan is approved, the Byrne Grant money would be
significantly reduced or even eliminated.

The Office of National Drug Control Policy said the Byrne Grant
program and another federal funding program, known as the High
Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas program, or HIDTA, have drifted from
their original intent of focusing on the worst problems. Now,
officials say, money from the programs goes to a wide range of law
enforcement efforts.

"We are trying to put our resources into programs that are focused and
accountable, and there has been a concern for a number of years about
focus in a program like that," said Tom Riley, a spokesman for the
president's office.

Crawford County Sheriff Sandy Horton, chairman of the Southeast Kansas
Drug Enforcement Task Force, which covers Crawford, Cherokee and four
other counties in Southeast Kansas, said he has talked with
legislators about the possible effects of the cuts.

Horton said the Southeast Kansas task force, which relies on Byrne
Grant money and HIDTA money, along with local matching funds, probably
would have to fold if the cuts are approved.

He said his task force received $342,206 in Byrne Grant money,
$114,069 in local matching money and $121,797 in funding from the
HIDTA program for this year.

"What they are saying in Washington is that local and state agencies
need to put up the funding because it is a local issue," Horton said.
"I don't know how they can say this is a local issue when we're still
estimating that 80 percent of the methamphetamine that comes into our
area comes from Arizona, Texas and Mexico."

Members of Congress don't appear to agree with the administration's
position. A Senate committee has agreed to put back almost all the
money for the Byrne Grants, while the House wants to restore about
two-thirds of the money. Both chambers are on track to restore the
HIDTA program.

Dan Wadlington, spokesman for U.S. Rep. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., said Blunt
is monitoring the progress of Byrne Grant funding as it travels
through Congress.

Wadlington said Blunt supports measures to increase Byrne Grant
funding over previous levels.

Rob Ostrander, spokesman for U.S. Sen. Christopher Bond, R-Mo., said a
Senate committee of which Bond is chairman voted Tuesday to put the
$634 million back into the Byrne Grant program.

Both proposals still have to be voted on by the House and Senate, and
signed by Bush.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin