Serving Proudly As The Voice Of Valley County Since 1913

Area Drug Program Ends

The Eastern Montana Drug Prosecution Coordinator program has been hard at work utilizing their remaining funding before the cut-off date of June 30. The grant, funded by the Department of Justice and passed through the Montana Board of Crime Control, was awarded to the City of Glasgow and administered by the Glasgow Police Department. The remaining money was distributed among three areas of focus and benefitted more than 40 different agencies and recipients in the northeastern region of Montana.

Last week they prepared and mailed out NARK presumptive drug analysis kits to 29 law enforcement agencies in Eastern Montana. The kits provide law enforcement officers the tools they need to successfully prosecute drug arrests. Included in the kits are substance testing supplies for street and prescription drugs and scales to weigh any seized substances to determine the level of offence. The testing supplies allow officers to check for a variety of drugs, including but not limited to methamphetamines, opiates, marijuana, and valium.

A portion of the money was used to showcase drug policy expert Dr. Kevin Sabet at a conference in Billings. His speech to politicians, law enforcement officers, mental health officials, and school officials focused on the effects of legalizing marijuana.

Dr. Sabet is well known for his work advising three presidential administrations, non-governmental organizations, and international organizations on drug use, policy, and consequences.

Attendees were given a free copy of his book, Reefer Sanity: Seven Great Myths About Marijuana.

Money was also used to pay for hotel rooms for a portion of the participants.

A manual laying out best practices for drug case prosecutions was prepared by attorney Diane Cochran and distributed, both in hard copy and on flash drives, to more than 40 agencies in Eastern Montana. Copies were provided to  law enforcement agencies and city and county attorneys. The manual provides a template for officials to work from, including examples of court briefs.

Granger is sad to see the program come to an end, noting that feedback from all agencies has been positive. She praised the work of all involved, specifically citing the work of Cochran and county attorney Nick Murnion, calling the program his brainchild.

Granger expressed both pride and disappointment: “They all did a really good job. I feel we spent the money effectively. It was a forward thinking project, but the funding is not there now.”

Asked if she felt there was a possibility for future funding, she was hopeful. “If I were a betting woman, I’d say yes. We were able to provide much needed resources for 17 counties in Northeastern Montana using this funding. I do hope to see it continued.”

Though the program’s funding ends in less than a week, the critical components provided will continue to serve agencies in drug arrests and prosecutions.

 

Reader Comments(0)

 
 
Rendered 02/19/2024 03:58