LAWMAKERS MAY SCRUTINIZE BUDGET OF DRUG TASK FORCE

The St. Lawrence County Drug Task Force may face budget scrutiny as
lawmakers look for places to cinch the county's belt.

The Legislature's Finance Committee on Tuesday approved $168,699 for
the drug-fighting squad next year, but Chairman Peter W.
FitzRandolph, D-Canton, said he wanted lawmakers to review the
mission of the force as the prepare for what could be an even tougher
2003 budget.

"I think we need to know what the goal of the Drug Task Force is, is
it to eventually get to the big players in the drug trade? When can
we expect to see that?" Mr. FitzRandolph asked Sheriff Gary J.
Jarvis as he presented his budget plan for next year.

"From reading the press, it seems that what we've done is arrest some
very small-time people. I don't object to that, but from the
standpoint of county dollars, it would be nice to move up the level,"
he said.

Spending on the drug squad, which is funded entirely by the county,
represents more than half a percent of the county's tax levy, which
is expected to increase more than 7 percent in 2002.

Mr. Jarvis defended the task force, which was formed in 1988.

"We've got several major players in the last three years, Our goal
is to get even more," the sheriff said, "I can't tell you when we'll
get there, It takes time to develop these cases. It just increases
constantly everywhere."

The task force last month joined state, federal and local authorities
in busting what was termed an "elaborate" marijuana growing and
packaging operation on a farm in Macomb.

The force's three full-time deputies receive help from other local
police agencies in their undercover buy-and-bust operations across
the county. In addition to the $168,699 for salaries, office
supplies, equipment and money to buy drugs, the 2002 budget includes
$7,000 to cover overtime for the agents.

Mr. FitzRandolph's comments drew a sharp scolding from Legislator
Richard P. Wilson, R-Ogdensburg, who has championed the anti-drug
squad for several years and voted against the 2002 budget because of
his colleagues' refusal at the time to add a third investigator to
the force.

"I would love to get the so-called drug kingpins or whatever, but
they're very good. They use a lot of low-level people to do their
bidding, of course," he said. "The border, especially at Massena and
Cornwall, is a major point of drug transfer. Maybe with Sept. 11,
that will change."

Mr Wilson said the task force has done a good job controlling the
amount of illegal drugs in schools and raising drug prices in the
county by denting supplies.

"What about someone between a kingpin and someone on the street?"
Mr. FitzRandolph said. "I know it's one of those issues that we're
just not supposed to talk about, but in tough budget years, it's one
of the areas we need to revisit."

Legislator Jon R. Greenwood, R-Potsdam, agreed that the task force
should face scrutiny early next year as part of a sweeping review of
all the county's discretionary programs so services can be
prioritized.

"But the one comment I'd make is, if anybody thinks we've reduced
drugs in the schools, we're kidding ourselves," Mr. Greenwood said.

The task force has been the center of controversy before. Former
Sheriff Keith K. Knowlton's proposal to add a third deputy caused a
storm of criticism in 1999, with county lawmakers saying the
sheriff's plan was not cost-effective.

Mr. Knowlton fired back by accusing some legislators of being soft on
illegal drugs and under the influence of ReconsiDer, a state wide
non-profit group with a chapter in Ogdensburg that promotes
decriminalizing drugs and lobbies for more emphasis on treatment.

Shortly after taking office last year, Mr. Jarvis impressed lawmakers
with a plan to expand the anti-drug task team to three agents without
increasing costs to the county, by shifting positions in the
Sheriff's Department and Emergency Services Office.