DRUG-FIGHTING MONEY IN PERIL

One of the main sources of funding for the Metro Drug Unit and other
regional drug task forces around the state is danger of not being renewed
next year.

The Justice Assistance Grant Program, which is drawn from the federal
government, is a primary source of funding for the drug unit and several
other regional task forces, said Michael Cutlip, the deputy director of the
state Division of Criminal Justice Services.

If the grant is lost, it "could have a detrimental effect on the drug
problem here in the Kanawha Valley and across the state," he said.

Cutlip said the total number of dollars going into the program has
decreased over the last few years. In 2003, $900 million was given out
across the country, and $4.4 million was directed to his office, and then
distributed to task forces and various projects in West Virginia.

The state was allotted $4.1 million in 2004 and will be given $3.3 million
at the start of the fiscal year in July.

The Bush administration wants to "zero out" the money the following fiscal
year and dedicate the funds to projects under the Department of Homeland
Security.

"You can only speculate that the reduction in funding must be related to
that," Cutlip said.

Currently, money from the grant programs funds 87 state projects and pays
the salary of 77 full-time employees and 80 part-time positions. The bulk
of those jobs are in law enforcement, Cutlip said.

"If the (grant) program is zeroed out, cities and counties would have to
come up with the funding to keep the task forces operating at the staffing
levels that they operate with now," Cutlip said. "More than likely, some of
the task forces would shut down and some of the task forces would downsize
drastically."

Other law enforcement grants are available, but Cutlip said nothing as
significant as the Justice Assistant Grant Program would come through his
office.

Cutlip said he has notified the state's congressional delegation, and he's
been discussing the situation with law enforcement officers and legislators
from across the state.

Lt. Steve Neddo, the commander of the Metro Drug Unit that operates in the
Kanawha Valley, said if his department and other task forces around the
state aren't funded, smaller departments will be hit the hardest.

Because Charleston has a large and active police department, the city could
sustain losing the drug unit because it has more manpower than most
departments, he said.

However, if a smaller municipality were forced to go without a regional
task force, the town would suffer, Neddo said.

Neddo said if smaller municipalities in Kanawha or Putnam counties
experience a rash of drug trafficking, the drug unit can flood the town
with investigators and tackle the problem with manpower that in some cases
would double the town's police force.

"Regional task forces are one of the best things to happen to law
enforcement," he said. "Drug dealers don't respect city limits or county
lines."

The grant in question also helps police departments that loan officers to
the drug unit because it allows them to hire replacements.

Neddo said federal officials should reassess the funding cut.

Homeland security is important, but Neddo doubts a potential terrorist
attack is a more immediate problem than drugs, specifically
methamphetamine, in West Virginia.

"The problem we have is a drug problem. We have drug-related murders. I
think there needs to be a logical, intelligent look as to what affects this
community," he said.

Over the last two years, the drug unit has taken on a more visible role in
the area because of the way methamphetamine labs have been popping up.

Last year, an estimated 30 percent of the unit's time was spent breaking
down or busting labs, and that number is likely to increase this year.

Kanawha County Sheriff Mike Rutherford said the drug unit is needed not
only because of its work with meth labs, but because of the other drug
cases the unit handles.

Meth gets most of the attention these days, but Rutherford said crack,
cocaine, heroine and marijuana remain problems.

Officers from the drug unit put in the time to make buys and develop cases
meant to stand up in court. That allows other departments to concentrate on
patrols and other aspects of police work, he said.

"Losing (the grant) would be a disaster for Kanawha and Putnam counties,"
Rutherford said.