Message From The Sheriff's Office: Drug Task Force

10/22/2014

L-R: Shane Doyle, Jeff Brooks, Sheriff Wil Cannon, Wally Ritter, Stoney Phillips (courtesy ESCO)

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.

The Post stated that having a single Detective to work on just drugs and other cases in Edmonson County would be far more productive. The DTF Detective from Edmonson County did help with other cases and in fact, discovered a theft and arson that would not have been discovered without the DTF investigation. The arsonist would have simply gotten away with it. It is almost impossible to work drug cases with just one Detective effectively and safely. For example; a search warrant is issued for a suspected drug traffickers residence. To efficiently do this, it will take at least one uniform Deputy or Officer and a minimum of four detectives, one to log the evidence, one to take photos and video and at least two to search. The DTF is dependent on all agencies involved, not just one. It was a collaborated team effort.

The post spoke of the cost of being in the DTF. In 2009 Judge Reed and the former Sheriff entered into the Drug Task Force and help ensure the Task Force's future. For almost three years, the DTF provided one Detective through a federal grant with no cost to the County. A savings of approximately $170,000 for Edmonson County. Unfortunately the Grant ran out at the end of its term. The post stated that Edmonson County paid $3,000.00 in overtime, they did but the DTF reimbursed Edmonson County for all of the overtime. A previous post stated that Edmonson County was paying the Task Force $45,000 to $60,000 for a Detective. They did not pay the Task Force for that Detective, they paid their Detective. They will be paying the same amount for a detective without being in the Task Force. They said that they want their own Detective, the DTF Detective was the Sheriff's Department. The Edmonson Co. S.O. hired the Detective and assigned him to the DTF. The post stated that they would get the asset forfeitures now and not the task force. This is true, but look at the cost. The DTF supplied the vehicle and maintenance for the Edmonson County Detective, approximately $18,000.00, and paid for the gas, approximately $30,000.00 in the last five years. The DTF supplied all equipment for the Detective (recording equipment, cameras, video cameras, computer, surveillance equipment , etc.) which cost thousands of dollars and provided approximately $5,900 in drug buy money. The Drug Task Force is Federally funded and requires a 25% match to be paid by all of the participating agencies which is about $9,400 a year per agency. The DTF paid Edmonson Counties match for approximately four years, almost $40,000.00. In the last five years, the DTF paid over $100,000.00 for Edmonson Co. to be a member of the DTF with forfeitures totaling approximately $70,000.00. Large seizures are vary rare. I believe that Edmonson County S.O. will soon realize that the cost of fighting drugs at the same level will be more costly than they anticipated, far more than they were investing and will possibly have fewer results with only one Detective. All and all, the DTF has funded thousands more in fighting drugs in Edmonson County than was seized. The DTF is not about profit or s

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?

Approximately 100 meth labs were dismantled in Edmonson County by the DTF in the past five years which is a huge problem in Edmonson and surrounding counties. OSHA requires a minimum of two clandestine lab trained Officers to work a meth lab. Only a certified clan lab Officer can transport hazardous materials from a meth lab from one location to another. Though KSP now helps agencies with some supplies, they do not cover it all. The DTF did supply all of the items needed plus the cost of the annual physical required, the air protection units and other necessary items. Prescription Drugs is another major problem for Edmonson County and the DTF had made major advances in fighting this problem. The DTF seized and removed over $600,000.00 worth of drugs from the Edmonson County community in the last five years alone and opened 230 drug related cases and four Federal cases.

The Task Force is not responding to the post to convince anyone to stay in, that decision has respectfully already been made. We don't want the citizens of Edmonson County or any other agencies reading this post and possibly thinking that we were ineffective and did not make an impact on the community. I believe that the author of the post had a few facts incorrect and made it appeared (unintentionally I'm sure) that the DTF did not do its job. The Drug Task Force regrets loosing Edmonson County from its family and owes them a great debt of gratitude. We would like to thank Judge Reed, the Fiscal Court, Brownsville PD, the city of Brownsville, and the Edmonson County Sheriff’s Department for allowing us to serve your community. The DTF has informed Sheriff Cannon and Chief Sanders that they will continue to help the Sheriff’s and the Police Department in any way we can. Edmonson County has been a part of the DTF family for many years and some of us have family members in Edmonson County. It has been OUR pleasure to serve the citizens of Edmonson County and we hope we have made a positive impact and a positive impression on your community with the respect and honor that is demanded of the DTF Detectives. We wish you the best in your continuing quest in eliminating illegal drugs in your community.

Best Wishes,
Drug Task Force

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Message From The Sheriff's Office: Drug Task Force

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