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Sheriff's Office to lose narcotic officer

01/06/2012

The Lawrence County Sheriff's Office will soon be one officer short.  The Missouri Sheriff's Methamphetamine grant (MOSMART) was not funded by the federal government for the coming year and it doesn't look like it will be any time soon. 

According to Sheriff DeLay, the loss of this position could have devastating effects on the meth drug war in Lawrence County.  The current narcotics officer was dedicated to investigating, locating and removing methamphetamine labs from the county.  Dozens of labs and arrests were made thanks to the efforts of deputies working with Deputy Lyle.

This position not only affected drug arrests directly but also follow up, working with the newly established drug court and many other "behind the scene" areas.

A request was made in the budget for the 2012 year to the Lawrence County Commission to continue to fund this position with county funds from general revenue but that request was rejected and removed from the Sheriff's Office budget.

Sheriff DeLay is currently trying to acquire funding from other sources in order to continue the operation so that the progress that has been made will not be wasted.