![]() ECSO and Edmonson Voice Staff A message from the Edmonson County Sheriff’s Office: As many of you know, the Edmonson County Fiscal Court voted to withdraw from the Drug Task Force a few weeks ago upon the recommendation from Sheriff Wil Cannon and Lieutenant Shane Doyle. Many of you have had questions and concerns regarding the matter. The Edmonson County Sheriff’s Department wants everyone to know that there is no cause for concern. We are currently fighting drugs in our county harder than ever before. The number one asset that the Drug Task Force always had was our department and other local law enforcement. Without us, the task force would have simply been ineffective. We initiated almost every drug investigation they had by bringing them the information they needed. Our department has been active in almost every drug investigation since Sheriff Cannon was elected. We were there in full force on all drug busts in the county, even storing the evidence in our facilities. They could do very little without our help. Before making the decision to leave the task force, we studied the numbers, researched all the information, and reviewed every possible scenario. One key factor was that the cost for us to remain in the task force increased substantially. We used to benefit from grant money that is now no longer available to Edmonson County. We now have to pay what is called “Buy-in Money,” which is about $9,400.00 per year. We also pay salary, benefits and overtime for our investigator. Just this year alone, in the five months we employed an investigator from the Drug Task Force, we were out over $3,000.00 in overtime—nearly all of which was in Barren and Allen counties, not here at home. Additionally, the Drug Task Force board of directors voted to rewrite the contract to require that all assets from drug seizures would go directly to the Task Force. This policy alone has cost the people of our county close to $75,000.00 over the past four years. Sheriff Cannon, Lt. Doyle, and the rest of our department know that the best thing for Edmonson County is to provide our own investigator who will spend all of their time in Edmonson County. This will be far more productive and efficient as our own investigator would not only be able to work drug cases, but also help with other investigations, such as burglaries and thefts. We know that most theft occurs as a result of drug use or activity. Solving these crimes will enable the investigator to develop their own information on dealers, activity, and drug use here at home. The final asset is that all forfeitures will remain in Edmonson County and not somewhere else. This will be a great benefit to all our citizens. So rest assured, leaving the Drug Task Force and adding our own drug investigator will be the best thing for our department, our families, and all Edmonson County citizens. We’ll be stronger and much more effective in our fight against drugs. And rest assured, we will never stop or slow down our attack in the war on drugs.
2 Comments
Director Ron Lafferty on behalf of the Drug Task Force
10/23/2014 09:28:59 am
The Drug Task Force would like to respond to the post about the Drug Task Force. First, The Drug Task Force was very disheartened to hear that Edmonson County voted to separate from the Drug Task Force. Edmonson County and the DTF had a great partnership and made great strides in eradicating drugs from the Edmonson County Community. The DTF was able to penetrate some drug traffickers that were unable to be done in the past and bring them to justice. I believe that the citizens of Edmonson County trusted the DTF to be fair and just in the fight against illegal drugs. The post stated that Edmonson County was the DTF’s number 1 asset along with other law enforcement agencies. That is true. The Drug Task Force is made up of different agencies; that is why we are called a Task Force. The Drug Task Force was made up from Edmonson County S.O., Barren County S.O., Allen County S.O. and Scottsville PD. In fact, Brownsville PD first came into the Drug Task Force in 2005 and was switched over to Edmonson County S.O. in 2009. We worked a three county area. Sometimes the Edmonson Co. Detective would have to assist Barren or Allen County but in return, four additional Detectives and a Federal agent would come to Edmonson County and perform the same work as other counties along with the Edmonson County Detective at no additional cost to the Edmonson County. The post stated that Edmonson Co. initiated almost every drug investigation. Technically that is true because the Detective assigned to the Drug Task Force was hired by the Edmonson County S.O. The post stated that the DTF could do very little without their help. Of course that is true, they were a member of the Task Force and provided the Detective, so every case in Edmonson County did come through Edmonson Co. Sheriff’s Department and was worked by the Edmonson County Detective along with the other DTF Detectives.
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Director Ron Lafferty on behalf of the Drug Task Force
10/23/2014 09:54:01 am
seizures but about eliminating drugs in our communities. The federal government realized that Drug Task Forces were more economically feasible with multiple agencies and provided better results than a single agency could provide. That makes sense; would you want one person repairing the county roads or several to be more effective and cover more area?
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