An area multi-jurisdictional law enforcement agency is seeking a $500,000 federal grant in hopes of doubling methamphetamine-related arrests in the area.
The North Central Mississippi Narcotics Task Force (NCMNTF) serves eight counties, including Leflore, Carroll and Holmes. It also works with more than 20 local law enforcement agencies.
In its grant application, the organization states that it started a program to eradicate meth nine months ago and found the process “overwhelming.”
“The investigation of manufacture of methamphetamine is very time consuming and cumbersome,” the report states. “We have, to some degree, investigated methamphetamine crimes in most of our communities but have missed a number of suspects due to a lack of manpower.”
The application, submitted by Leflore County Sheriff Ricky Banks, NCMNTF Director Gordon Ward and County Administrator Sam Abraham, is for a no-match $500,000 grant from the Department of Justice.
In the application, officials wrote that without the grant, NCMNTF would be able to perform only limited investigation of methamphetamine cases. It also called its methamphetamine program a “partially operational” program.
The additional funding would go toward the installation of two new agents. Currently the task force has only one. The agents will conduct surveillance operations and undercover purchases of methamphetamine.
If the grant is awarded, a full-scale methamphetamine investigative operation could be ready within six months of receiving funding, according to the application.
The task force will measure its success by meth-related convictions and “dump sites,” residual material of meth production, found.
In addition to the $299,634 allocated for salaries, the task force hopes to use about $190,000 for equipment, technology and supplies.
If awarded the grant, the task force would “regularly collaborate” with nonprofit organizations or community groups, local business, and federal agencies, the application said.
According to its Community Policing Narrative, the NCMNTF relies on local citizens and local law enforcement officers to assist in locating people involved in methamphetamine production.
“Citizens are the first line of information for the successful operation of this and any other narcotics task force,” the report states. “This agency intends to continue to work closely with the community through collection of information confidentially from local citizens.”
Currently, according to the application, the NCMNTF can’t ensure that agency staff has “appropriate access to relevant data” such as calls for service, or incident and arrest data.
The task force also does not currently use crime mapping, statistical software, GPS/GIS or related technologies to analyze community problems or improve agency effectiveness.
The task force indicated on the grant application that those things would be addressed if it received the grant.
The application is also marked with a “no” under “provides officers with necessary equipment to better prevent and/or respond to crime and disorder problems.” This was also to be remedied with grant funds.
• Contact Taylor Kuykendall at tkuykendall@gwcommonwealth.com.
