NARCOTICS GROUP HITS 'MASSIVE' CUTS

A coalition that represents dozens of state narcotic officers
associations wants Congress to explain what the group calls "massive
cuts to critical criminal justice programs" in the fiscal 2008
appropriations bill.

"More than 26,000 Americans die each year as a direct result of drug
abuse. Drug abuse and addiction destroys communities, robs children of
their hopes and dreams and weakens our economy. Drug sales fuel gangs
and are responsible for much of our nation's violent crime," said
Ronald E. Brooks, president of National Narcotic Officers'
Associations' Coalition (NNOAC), which represents 44 state
associations with nearly 70,000 drug-enforcement officers.

"Drug trafficking is domestic terrorism and is a chemical attack on
American communities," he said, adding it was "extremely
disappointing" and "irresponsible for our nation's leaders" when
Congress cut the programs instead of supporting effective anti-drug
initiatives.

The fiscal 2008 Omnibus Appropriations Bill cuts $350 million, or 67
percent, from the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG)
Program, which authorized the awarding of grants to states and local
governments to improve the criminal justice system -- with emphasis on
violent crime and serious offenders -- and enforce state and local laws
that establish offenses similar to federal drug statutes.

Grants also are used to provide personnel, equipment, training,
technical assistance and information systems for more widespread
apprehension, prosecution, adjudication, detention and rehabilitation
of offenders who violate such laws. Grants also have been used to
provide assistance to victims of crime.

Funding for the federal program leverages state and local resources to
address the most pressing criminal problems in local areas.

Mr. Brooks, director of the Northern California High Intensity Drug
Trafficking Area and the Northern California Regional Terrorism Threat
Assessment Center, said many states support multijurisdictional drug
task forces that take down regional and local drug-trafficking
organizations including gangs.

Others use the funds for gang task forces, substance-abuse prevention
and treatment, crime victim support programs, drug courts, justice
information sharing initiatives, sex offender management, community
corrections, offender re-entry and juvenile justice programs. The
White House Office of National Drug Control Policy has reported
extremely encouraging reductions in illicit drug use, especially among
teens," Mr. Brooks said. "In addition, domestic meth labs are way
down, cocaine availability is down, and prices are up.

"All these indicators of progress in our nation's continuing struggle
to prevent drug distribution and use are threatened because of the
Draconian cuts to the Byrne JAG program in this Omnibus Appropriations
Bill," he said.

At least 75 percent of every JAG dollar goes to local sheriffs and
police departments and the program has been described by both federal
and state law-enforcement authorities as highly successful.

Mr. Brooks said state, local and tribal jurisdictions depend on the
program to leverage local resources used to fight violence and drugs
and that NNOAC is concerned that drastic cuts to the Byrne JAG program
will cause multijurisdictional drug task forces to disappear in many
states, "giving drug dealers a free pass."