News (Media Awareness Project) - US PA: Drug Task Forces Out Of Money |
| Title: | US PA: Drug Task Forces Out Of Money |
| Published On: | 2006-04-29 |
| Source: | Philadelphia Inquirer, The (PA) |
| Fetched On: | 2008-01-14 06:32:50 |
DRUG TASK FORCES OUT OF MONEY
The Pa. Attorney General's Office Says The 22 Units Will Get Funded
Again In July, The New Fiscal Year
The Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office has run out of money for
its 22 regional drug task forces, but they should be fully funded
again in July, a spokesman said.
The lack of funding for the rest of the fiscal year, which ends in
June, means the task forces have temporarily ceased their work, the
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported yesterday. Funding for the
investigative teams should be reinstated for the next fiscal year,
which begins July 1, said Kevin Harley, a spokesman for Attorney General.
More than 40 district attorney-controlled task forces, which have
separate budgets, still have money, Harley noted.
The task forces in the Philadelphia region are controlled by district
attorneys and are not affected, Harley said.
The drug task forces are responsible for more than 5,000 arrests each
year, he said.
The teams, made up of state drug agents and county and municipal law
enforcement, were formed in 1986 to combat multi-county drug
trafficking. Officers are trained by the state and paid overtime by
the state for work conducted outside their regular jobs.
The Attorney General's Office will ask for a 5 percent increase in
task-force funding for the forthcoming fiscal year, Harley said. The
office is not asking for a bigger increase because the funding
shortage was caused by some cases unexpectedly growing into larger
investigations, Harley said.
Washington Township Police Chief Scott Slagle, who serves on the board
overseeing Westmoreland County's task force, said his unit stopped
work in January when its $130,000 budget was depleted.
"We were advised we were out of money and there would be no more
funding and to c3ease all current operations," Slagle said.
Westmoreland County District Attorney John Peck said many ongoing
investigations are "in limbo" until a new state budget is passed.
"There are cases they could be working on but can't because of the
lack of funds," Peck said.
The Pa. Attorney General's Office Says The 22 Units Will Get Funded
Again In July, The New Fiscal Year
The Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office has run out of money for
its 22 regional drug task forces, but they should be fully funded
again in July, a spokesman said.
The lack of funding for the rest of the fiscal year, which ends in
June, means the task forces have temporarily ceased their work, the
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported yesterday. Funding for the
investigative teams should be reinstated for the next fiscal year,
which begins July 1, said Kevin Harley, a spokesman for Attorney General.
More than 40 district attorney-controlled task forces, which have
separate budgets, still have money, Harley noted.
The task forces in the Philadelphia region are controlled by district
attorneys and are not affected, Harley said.
The drug task forces are responsible for more than 5,000 arrests each
year, he said.
The teams, made up of state drug agents and county and municipal law
enforcement, were formed in 1986 to combat multi-county drug
trafficking. Officers are trained by the state and paid overtime by
the state for work conducted outside their regular jobs.
The Attorney General's Office will ask for a 5 percent increase in
task-force funding for the forthcoming fiscal year, Harley said. The
office is not asking for a bigger increase because the funding
shortage was caused by some cases unexpectedly growing into larger
investigations, Harley said.
Washington Township Police Chief Scott Slagle, who serves on the board
overseeing Westmoreland County's task force, said his unit stopped
work in January when its $130,000 budget was depleted.
"We were advised we were out of money and there would be no more
funding and to c3ease all current operations," Slagle said.
Westmoreland County District Attorney John Peck said many ongoing
investigations are "in limbo" until a new state budget is passed.
"There are cases they could be working on but can't because of the
lack of funds," Peck said.
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