3 AREA COMMUNITIES GET $1M FOR JOINT ANTI-DRUG PROGRAMS

Federal officials will give New Haven, Fairfield and Hartford $1 million to
develop a joint program aimed at combating the sale, manufacture and spread
of narcotics.

The three communities, which make up one of 30 High Intensity Drug
Trafficking Areas nationwide, will have access to $186 million in additional
federal funding once the programs are established.

That money can be used for a range of drug control activities such as
interdiction, investigation, prosecution, intelligence, communication and
law enforcement training.

"By gaining access to these funds, our communities will have a stronger
collective defense in fighting drugs," said Rosa DeLauro, D-3, in announcing
the $1 million in federal funding Tuesday. "This is a locally driven,
broadly supported effort to stop drugs from getting into our communities,
and investigate and clean out areas where drugs already exist."

To qualify as a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, a region must have
relatively high rates of drug production, manufacturing, importation and
distribution, according to Barry R. McCaffey, director of the federal Office
of Drug Control Policy.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, as well as state and local law
enforcement officials, will work together to develop new anti-drug
strategies.

In addition to the New England High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area,
communities in central California, Hawaii, Ohio and Oregon also attained
HIDTA status in 1999.

Appalachia, Central Florida, Milwaukee and North Texas were named HIDTA
communities in 1997.

Last year, Congress appropriated $184 million for the HIDTA program.
President Clinton is asking for nearly $186 million for fiscal year 2000.