Jim Finnel
Fallen Cannabis Warrior & Ex News Moderator
Local law enforcement officials are concerned a reduction in funds for the West Central Drug Task Force will hinder drug enforcement activities in the region.
A 2009 Eau Claire County budget proposal doesn't replace money lost by the task force through shrinking state and federal grants. The proposal amounts to a cut of $38,600 for the drug unit, area law enforcement officials say, at a time when more resources are needed to fight illegal drug trafficking and use in west-central Wisconsin.
The loss of the money would likely mean the cutting of a half-time position within the drug task force. The position, which is now staffed by an Eau Claire County sheriff's investigator, writes federal and state grant proposals, tracks statistics for the task force and runs its office.
If the money is lost, that work will have to be spread to the task force's other investigators, who already have a heavy workload, Eau Claire County Sheriff Ron Cramer said.
"It will leave them less effective. There's more than enough work. Those folks are very busy," he said.
"We could actually use a few more people in the drug unit rather than less," Cramer said.
"The concern is what happens next year. Will they come back and take more money next year? I will certainly be working behind the scenes to try to restore that money."
The $38,600 was not included Thursday in the version of the 2009 budget drafted by the county's Finance and Budget Committee.
The money still could be inserted into the budget by the County Board during its November budget deliberations.
Losing the task force's grant writer would have a negative impact, Eau Claire Deputy Police Chief Eric Larsen said.
"It has an exponential effect on our ability to raise money to keep the task force going," he said. "That could snowball into further losses."
Cramer agrees: "It's imperative that we try to keep this together."
The task force, which has existed for 20 years, is comprised of representatives from 13 different law enforcement agencies from six counties in west-central Wisconsin.
"The task force is one of the longest running and most successful drug task forces in the state," Larsen said.
The task force needs more resources, not less, he said.
"The distribution chain has reached us again," he said.
"There's a lot of work ahead of us," he said. "This is the wrong time to falter on our commitment to this problem."
Chippewa Falls Police Chief Wayne Nehring, chairman of the West Central Drug Task Force's Oversight Committee, said the task force will not survive if local government continues on a path of faltering commitment.
"Each ( law enforcement agency ) will investigate drug cases in their own community and the exponential impact of working in a group will be lost," he said. "Communities in the Chippewa Valley will suffer for it."
News Hawk: User: 420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking
Source: Leader-Telegram
Author: Dan Holtz
Copyright: 2008 Eau Claire Press
Contact: https://www.cvol.net/contacteditor.htm#editorform
Website: MapInc
A 2009 Eau Claire County budget proposal doesn't replace money lost by the task force through shrinking state and federal grants. The proposal amounts to a cut of $38,600 for the drug unit, area law enforcement officials say, at a time when more resources are needed to fight illegal drug trafficking and use in west-central Wisconsin.
The loss of the money would likely mean the cutting of a half-time position within the drug task force. The position, which is now staffed by an Eau Claire County sheriff's investigator, writes federal and state grant proposals, tracks statistics for the task force and runs its office.
If the money is lost, that work will have to be spread to the task force's other investigators, who already have a heavy workload, Eau Claire County Sheriff Ron Cramer said.
"It will leave them less effective. There's more than enough work. Those folks are very busy," he said.
"We could actually use a few more people in the drug unit rather than less," Cramer said.
"The concern is what happens next year. Will they come back and take more money next year? I will certainly be working behind the scenes to try to restore that money."
The $38,600 was not included Thursday in the version of the 2009 budget drafted by the county's Finance and Budget Committee.
The money still could be inserted into the budget by the County Board during its November budget deliberations.
Losing the task force's grant writer would have a negative impact, Eau Claire Deputy Police Chief Eric Larsen said.
"It has an exponential effect on our ability to raise money to keep the task force going," he said. "That could snowball into further losses."
Cramer agrees: "It's imperative that we try to keep this together."
The task force, which has existed for 20 years, is comprised of representatives from 13 different law enforcement agencies from six counties in west-central Wisconsin.
"The task force is one of the longest running and most successful drug task forces in the state," Larsen said.
The task force needs more resources, not less, he said.
"The distribution chain has reached us again," he said.
"There's a lot of work ahead of us," he said. "This is the wrong time to falter on our commitment to this problem."
Chippewa Falls Police Chief Wayne Nehring, chairman of the West Central Drug Task Force's Oversight Committee, said the task force will not survive if local government continues on a path of faltering commitment.
"Each ( law enforcement agency ) will investigate drug cases in their own community and the exponential impact of working in a group will be lost," he said. "Communities in the Chippewa Valley will suffer for it."
News Hawk: User: 420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking
Source: Leader-Telegram
Author: Dan Holtz
Copyright: 2008 Eau Claire Press
Contact: https://www.cvol.net/contacteditor.htm#editorform
Website: MapInc
