DRUG TASK FORCE RECEIVES $284,000 FEDERAL GRANT

TALLADEGA COUNTY - The Drug and Violent Crime Task Force is preparing for
its second year of operation after receiving a $284,000 federal grant from
the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs. District Attorney
Steve Giddens said the money will likely be used to hire more officers.
Seven officers serve on the task force, and Giddens said there is a
possibility that two more will be hired now that much of the equipment
needed to start up the task force is in place.

"We are glad to have this money, fortunately for us, it was available,"
Giddens said, referring to cuts that are being made in many programs funded
on the state level.

Although federal dollars are used to fund the program, Giddens said the
grant is provided on a year-to-year basis and is based on need and
available funds.

There is no way to know how long funding will continue, but Giddens said
Calhoun County has the longest running drug and violent crime task force in
the state. It has been in operation for 13 years.

Giddens said there is definitely a need for the task force in Talladega County.

"Talladega needs the task force because there has been an increase in meth
labs," he said.

He said most of the arrests made during this year have been in connection
with methamphetamine, either in its manufacture or possession.

"Meth is the most prevalent drug in Talladega County, with crack being the
second and marijuana the third," he said.

Since its beginning in October 2002, the task force has destroyed 20 meth
labs and made great strides in eradicating marijuana crops, Giddens said.

In July, with the help of the Governor's Marijuana Eradication Task Force,
the Talladega County Drug and Violent Crime Task Force seized 2,500
marijuana plants in south Talladega County and 744 plants in the north end
of the county. The plants were valued at $5 million.

Giddens credits countywide participation in the task force as a factor in
its success.

"We have made significant strides due to countywide cooperation," he said,
naming the Talladega County Sheriff's Department, the Talladega County
Commission, police departments in Sylacauga, Lincoln, Childersburg and
Talladega and the town of Oak Grove as financial contributors to the task
force. Most of them provide manpower as well.

Giddens said the money they provide funds the 25 percent match needed for
the federal grant.

He also credits Assistant District Attorney Barry Matson, who serves as
project manager for the task force, Commander Bill Kennedy, and Alabama's
legislative delegation for working to secure the grant for the task force.

Matson said another factor in the program's success has been a tip line
that was established for anonymous callers with information about drug dealers.

"We've got a lot of good information from the tip line. The calls are not
recorded, and we don't want (caller's) names, just the information," Matson
said.

The number that has been established for the drug tip line in Talladega is
(256) 480-6511 and in Sylacauga, (256) 207-1211.