FUNDING FADE

Money Must Always Be Available To Make Undercover Purchases Of Drugs

If necessary, the FIVCO Area Drug Enforcement Task Force should dip into
its forfeiture account in order to continue the undercover drug buys
essential to building cases against those who traffic in illegal drugs.

Raceland Mayor Dick Fields is right. If the task force ever reaches the
point where it cannot make a drug buy because of a lack of funds, "we might
as well close up and go to the house ..."

FADE Director Bob Jessie last week told the agency's board that the budget
for drug buys has been reduced from $50,000 to $40,000 for the fiscal year
that began July 1. Of that amount, $16,000 already has been spent. He said
he has instructed FADE officers to stretch the remaining $24,000 as far as
possible.

Jessie said he is reluctant to use the agency's forfeiture account for drug
buys because he wants to use the fund as a hedge against future budget
cuts. However, it is better to use that account than not to make a drug buy
that will strengthen a case against an alleged pusher.

This newspaper has long opposed the seizure of the property of those who
have been neither charged nor convicted of drug offenses, but both state
and federal laws now limit such abuses of power. However, seizing the
assets of those convicted of drug offenses - particularly if those assets
were gained from money earned through drug trafficking - is a legitimate
means of funding drug enforcement programs. The forfeiture fund should be
used to further anti-drug enforcement efforts.

For the small counties and communities that participate in FADE, the agency
provides their most effective means of investigating drug trafficking.
Indeed, without FADE, there would be little or no investigation of drug
trafficking in those communities.

FADE has a record of building strong cases against drug traffickers that
lead to convictions. Drug buys are an essential part of its undercover
operations. Money to make purchases of drugs that could put some pusher out
of business should come from wherever it is available.