FEDERAL CUTS WOULD AFFECT LOCAL DRUG FIGHT

FAIRMONT -- A suggested federal cut to a law enforcement grant would
hurt drug task force units nationwide.

Suggested cuts to the Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law
Enforcement Assistance Grant would affect every state that uses the
grant to finance drug enforcement. The cut is being suggested by the
Bush Administra-tion, which said the federal government shouldn't be
the primary funding source of local and state law enforcement.

"It gives us about $150,000 a year, which is really a small amount,"
explained D. Davidson, narcotics commander of the Minnesota River
Valley Drug Task Force. "I'm really surprised they want to cut it."

The funding would be cut off at the end of the year unless the money
is put back on the books.

"The programs won't fold overnight, they'd just decay," Davidson
said.

With the federal money cut, it would be up to the states or local
agencies to absorb the costs.

"Locally, the Minnesota River Valley task force would be cut in half,
and we'd only be able to cover Blue Earth County," Davidson explained.
The task force currently covers Blue Earth -- including the city of
Mankato -- Nicolett, Watonwan and Martin counties.

"We're lucky enough that we'd be able to salvage some type of task
force, but it eliminates other counties."

With the exception of a tax, the only way to recoup the costs is to
contact and urge legislators to put the money back on the books,
Davidson said.

Losing a task force would be a major blow to many rural areas that
have made progress recently in the fight against methamphetamine.
Without the task forces, drug enforcement would be "difficult and
dangerous at best," Davidson said.

"It would be a band-aid effect to turn these cases over to a
non-narcotic team," he said. "We need to keep the pressure on to try
to keep it from spreading. We work on the street and mid-level dealers
and made 130 physical arrests last year."

The legislation passed a few years ago in Minnesota has made a dent in
the meth epidemic, but that ground could be lost if enforcement is
weakened.

"We only had two or three meth labs last year in the four counties,
while the year before the legislation we saw about 50 to 80," Davidson
said. "The meth lab seizures went down dramatically."

Because of the decrease in manufacturing, more cocaine and crystal
meth from Mexico is being seen. But Davidson said the drug will likely
cycle around again.

"Meth is the worst drug by far for its instantaneous addiction,"
Davidson said. "Crack cocaine is the only thing that I've seen come
close ... I hope we never lose hold of that legislation."

But losing the drug enforcement would be noticeable, Davidson
said.

"We would see a definite increase in crimes if there is no longer a
fear of getting caught," he said. "Many crimes go hand-in-hand with
narcotics; it's a catalyst with all the other crimes we have. ... I
would hate to have to live in a community without a drug task force."