News (Media Awareness Project) - US MO: County Will Get Part Of $1.2 Million In Federal Money |
| Title: | US MO: County Will Get Part Of $1.2 Million In Federal Money |
| Published On: | 2001-12-20 |
| Source: | St. Louis Post-Dispatch (MO) |
| Fetched On: | 2008-08-31 09:44:52 |
COUNTY WILL GET PART OF $1.2 MILLION IN FEDERAL MONEY
The Jefferson County Narcotics Task Force is one of 16 law-enforcement
agencies in rural Missouri counties that will share $1.2 million in federal
money to step up their war on methamphetamine production.
The U.S. Justice Department's Bureau of Justice Assistance awarded the
money to the Missouri Sheriffs Methamphetamine Relief Team, or MOSMART, a
statewide, law-enforcement group that was formed to provide a unified front
to counter rising meth production and win drug-fighting grants.MOSMART will
distribute the money to member agencies, which include Jefferson County's
narcotics team and sheriff's departments in neighboring counties. The
Jefferson County team will receive $48,145, the Franklin County Sheriff's
Department will receive $97,245, and the Mineral Area Drug Task Force,
which patrols St. Francois County, will receive $122,684.
Jefferson County Sheriff Oliver "Glenn" Boyer called the grant a "godsend"
and said that without it and other meth-fighting grants, the county would
be unable to finance its narcotics task force.
The money may be used for salaries and overtime, training, equipment and
prevention initiatives. Any officer funded by MOSMART money is required to
attend DEA's laboratory certification school.
"This money is going to allow the Jefferson County Narcotics Task Force to
purchase some much-needed equipment that we need to bolster our efforts in
this war against meth," Boyer said.
Boyer said the task force was expanding its patrols and seeking more grants
from state and federal agencies. He said that the force was responsible for
about 100 lab raids this year.
Since MOSMART was formed earlier this year, Missouri law-enforcement
agencies have seized 413 meth labs and arrested 569 people suspected of
manufacturing meth and another 420 people who are suspected of trying to
make the drug.
About 1,000 Missourians have been arrested for meth possession since the
program started.
"MOSMART is about team-work at all levels of government," said Cape
Girardeau County Sheriff John Jordan, who oversees the program.
He said that teamwork extended from individual law-enforcement officers to
Sen. Christopher "Kit" Bond, R-Mo., who, Jordan said, did the "heavy
lifting at the federal level" to secure the grant.
The Jefferson County Narcotics Task Force is one of 16 law-enforcement
agencies in rural Missouri counties that will share $1.2 million in federal
money to step up their war on methamphetamine production.
The U.S. Justice Department's Bureau of Justice Assistance awarded the
money to the Missouri Sheriffs Methamphetamine Relief Team, or MOSMART, a
statewide, law-enforcement group that was formed to provide a unified front
to counter rising meth production and win drug-fighting grants.MOSMART will
distribute the money to member agencies, which include Jefferson County's
narcotics team and sheriff's departments in neighboring counties. The
Jefferson County team will receive $48,145, the Franklin County Sheriff's
Department will receive $97,245, and the Mineral Area Drug Task Force,
which patrols St. Francois County, will receive $122,684.
Jefferson County Sheriff Oliver "Glenn" Boyer called the grant a "godsend"
and said that without it and other meth-fighting grants, the county would
be unable to finance its narcotics task force.
The money may be used for salaries and overtime, training, equipment and
prevention initiatives. Any officer funded by MOSMART money is required to
attend DEA's laboratory certification school.
"This money is going to allow the Jefferson County Narcotics Task Force to
purchase some much-needed equipment that we need to bolster our efforts in
this war against meth," Boyer said.
Boyer said the task force was expanding its patrols and seeking more grants
from state and federal agencies. He said that the force was responsible for
about 100 lab raids this year.
Since MOSMART was formed earlier this year, Missouri law-enforcement
agencies have seized 413 meth labs and arrested 569 people suspected of
manufacturing meth and another 420 people who are suspected of trying to
make the drug.
About 1,000 Missourians have been arrested for meth possession since the
program started.
"MOSMART is about team-work at all levels of government," said Cape
Girardeau County Sheriff John Jordan, who oversees the program.
He said that teamwork extended from individual law-enforcement officers to
Sen. Christopher "Kit" Bond, R-Mo., who, Jordan said, did the "heavy
lifting at the federal level" to secure the grant.
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