SHERIFF PULLS DEPUTIES FROM NARCOTICS DETAIL

Department of Justice probe county NTF triggers move of 3 officers

SAN LUIS OBISPO -- Sheriff Ed Williams has relocated the three deputies
assigned to the countywide Narcotic Task Force, pending the outcome of a
state Department of Justice investigation.

"There is a personnel issue that arose out of the NTF, and that issue is
being handled by the state Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement," Williams said
during an interview last week.

"There is an internal investigation within the NTF, and while that is going
on, those deputies assigned to the task force are working out of our
detective bureau."

Williams said the deputies are conducting investigations independent of the
NTF, although they are in contact with task force members to ensure they do
not overlap investigations. The task force has continued to work cases
throughout the state investigation.

Williams, citing confidentiality laws, declined to name the target of the
probe or the circumstances surrounding it. He said his deputies are no
longer reporting to NTF Cmdr. Craig Wright, a state Department of Justice
employee assigned in 1994 to head the 10-member task force in San Luis
Obispo County.

The deputies have not worked out of the NTF office since late September.

Wright was not available for comment. An employee at the NTF office said
Wednesday Wright was out of the office and "would not be returning from the
holidays" until Jan. 13 or 14.

A Justice Department spokesman declined to comment on whether Wright is the
target of the probe. "We can't go in to personnel matters," said Mike Van
Winkle.

Jim Gardiner, the chief of the San Luis Obispo Police Department and
chairman of the NTF governing board, also declined to comment on any aspect
of the investigation. He said the board is working toward returning the
deputies to the task force.

The multi-agency task force was created to target the county's major drug
cases. It is comprised of officers from various law enforcement agencies.
The only cities that do not participate are Pismo Beach and Morro Bay.

The NTF governing board, which votes and oversees task force matters,
includes police chiefs from some participating cities, Sheriff Williams,
District Attorney Barry LaBarbera and Dick Flood of the state Bureau of
Narcotic Enforcement.

Williams worked on the formation of the task force and has been on the NTF
board of governors since its inception in 1981. He said he has always
supported the multi-agency concept in battling the county's drug problems,
but the circumstances surrounding the probe were of enough concern he
decided to temporarily pull his people until the matter is resolved.

"I just put a third person in (the task force) six months ago; my opinion
relative to the concept has not changed a bit," Williams said. "I still
feel very strongly that the drug problem requires a countywide effort.
(Agencies working independently) is not the most efficient way of doing
business."