NWA has federal resources to fight drug trafficking
Elizabeth Miller
Issue date: 2/27/08 Section: News
Northwest Arkansas law enforcement agents now have access to federal resources for fighting drug trafficking, officials said.
Washington and Benton counties, along with 26 other counties in the U.S., received the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area designation from the Office of National Drug Control Policy, which has not been granted since 2001, according to the ONDCP Web site.
The designation was needed because of the importation of methamphetamines into the region, said Tim Helder, Washington County sheriff.
The influx of imported methamphetamines "took us by storm," Helder said. "It's the worst drug epidemic we've ever seen."
Law enforcement officers are "glad to get the designation," he said.
Next week, stakeholders will meet in Little Rock to begin determining what changes will be made using the new federally provided resources, which include access to databases, to fight the importation of methamphetamines, Helder said.
"The counties have done a really good job" addressing drug trafficking, but they need more assistance to aggressively fight it, Rep. John Boozman said.
Prior to the designation, "the counties had done a lot of work on their own to get drug trafficking under control," he said.
With the new ONDCP designation, Washington and Benton counties will be able to coordinate with other counties around the country to fight drug trafficking in their communities.
Boozman thinks now, more than ever, national coordination is needed to address drug trafficking because much of it is international and highly organized, with abundant resources to draw upon, he said.
In this region, Boozman and Helder said, methamphetamines are doing the most damage. The imported drug is so addictive because it is of a finer grade and is more potent than locally produced methamphetamines, Boozman said.
The importation and use of the drug is not only a law enforcement problem, but also a community concern, Helder said.
As a result of the ONDCP designation, law enforcement agents now have more tools at their disposal to deter the importation of methamphetamines in the region and monitor the issue in the community.
Washington and Benton counties, along with 26 other counties in the U.S., received the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area designation from the Office of National Drug Control Policy, which has not been granted since 2001, according to the ONDCP Web site.
The designation was needed because of the importation of methamphetamines into the region, said Tim Helder, Washington County sheriff.
The influx of imported methamphetamines "took us by storm," Helder said. "It's the worst drug epidemic we've ever seen."
Law enforcement officers are "glad to get the designation," he said.
Next week, stakeholders will meet in Little Rock to begin determining what changes will be made using the new federally provided resources, which include access to databases, to fight the importation of methamphetamines, Helder said.
"The counties have done a really good job" addressing drug trafficking, but they need more assistance to aggressively fight it, Rep. John Boozman said.
Prior to the designation, "the counties had done a lot of work on their own to get drug trafficking under control," he said.
With the new ONDCP designation, Washington and Benton counties will be able to coordinate with other counties around the country to fight drug trafficking in their communities.
Boozman thinks now, more than ever, national coordination is needed to address drug trafficking because much of it is international and highly organized, with abundant resources to draw upon, he said.
In this region, Boozman and Helder said, methamphetamines are doing the most damage. The imported drug is so addictive because it is of a finer grade and is more potent than locally produced methamphetamines, Boozman said.
The importation and use of the drug is not only a law enforcement problem, but also a community concern, Helder said.
As a result of the ONDCP designation, law enforcement agents now have more tools at their disposal to deter the importation of methamphetamines in the region and monitor the issue in the community.
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