Local News in Brief : Supervisors Fund Narcotics Task Force
County supervisors agreed Tuesday to provide $100,000 in “seed money” to the San Gabriel Valley Narcotics Enforcement Team, a task force of agents from the Sheriff’s Department and 10 police departments that began Tuesday to collectively attack big-time drug dealing.
The allocation, plus another $75,000 approved by the supervisors last week, will pay most of the task force’s start-up costs and for helicopter support for the special unit.
“This is a one-time shot,” Judy Hammonds, spokeswoman for Supervisor Pete Schabarum, said of the money. “Under federal law, they’ll keep the cash they confiscate, so after this the program will be self-supporting.”
The 18-agent task force, organized by the Sheriff’s Department, was formed because of the inability of small local police agencies to effectively control escalating drug sales, law-enforcement officials said.
The cities participating in the project are Arcadia, Azusa, Baldwin Park, Covina, El Monte, Glendora, Monrovia, Pasadena, Pomona and San Gabriel.
Each city is contributing one officer and one vehicle. Pasadena will provide two helicopters, and the Sheriff’s Department will supply officers and equipment.
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