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1k. Participation in SW Metro Task Force 1 kC . CITYOF ., I 1 ti CHANHASSEN 690 COULTER DRIVE • P.O. BOX 147 • CHANHASSEN, MINNESOTA 55317 (612) 937-1900 • FAX (612) 937-5739 1 Adam by My Mdrwiatr-t-,r 1 MEMORANDUM Tiodif:L.. R'1Lz.4.t i TO: Mayor Don Chmiel i,e _ _.— City Council D-6 ;;,._.. - ,,,n 1 Don Ashworth, City Manager w. . FROM: Scott Harr , Public Safety Directo/444---- 9'oZ.3'9/ IDATE: September 6 , 1991 1 SUBJ: Participation In Southwest Metro Drug Task Force For 1992 I This memo is to provide information recommending that the City continue our participation with the Southwest Metro Drug Task Force. 1 BACKGROUND 1 Because matching Federal funds must be applied for shortly, participating agencies in this drug enforcement program have been asked to have their participation confirmed as soon as possible. The City of Chanhassen has participated in this program from its inception I in 1988, with the focus being on the "street level" user/dealer , which is a group that , for reasons set forth in the attached documents , have largely gone untouched by available law enforcement agencies. IAttached for your review is information about the Southwest Metro Drug Task Force and its history, as supplied by the Task Force Administrator, Sgt. William Hudson. Rather than repeat the I information Sgt. Hudson has compiled, I will attach it with this memo. IRECOMMENDATION At the August 8, 1991 , Public Safety Commission meeting, the I Commissioners unanimously endorsed our continued participation with the Task Force. I agree with this recommendation in that it is but one more way of Chanhassen obtaining quality law enforcement service for, simply put , a bargain price. Our contribution for 1992 would not II I t0 PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER I I Mayor Don Chmiel City Council Don Ashworth, City Manager August 30 , 1991 Page 2 exceed $10 , 040 . 51 ( this figure may be lower depending on available grants , but would not be higher ) , for which we have access to four full-time narcotic agents . I have been pleased at the service that our City, as well as those around us , have received. Both the supervisor and the agents make a ' point of contacting me frequently, and have been very responsive to every call I have received from citizens with questions and/or concerns . Acknowledging that illegal drugs continue to be a significant societal problem, the contribution that our City would Umake to this effort is very cost effective. The recommendation of the Public Safety Commission and Staff is that ' the City of Chanhassen continue to participate as a member of the Southwest Metro Drug Task Force for 1992 with a maximum contribution of $10 , 040. 51 . 1 w I eebt . SOUTHWEST METRO DRUG TASK FORCE • COMMUNITY NEED: The Task Force is comprised of 9, law II enforcement agencies within its jurisdiction, includ- ing Scott County, Carver County, and a small southwest portion of Hennepin County. The combined population is II approximately 125, 000. This population can increase as much as 50% at times during the year due to the number of people attending Canterbury Downs, Valley Fair, and recreational activities on Lake Minnetonka. I The area being served by the Task Force is more of a semi-rural than a metro area. The law enforcement agencies within the service area are small agencies that ' average approximatly 11 officers per agency, excluding the sheriffs departments, which average 35 sworn deputies. The law enforcement agencies in the Task Force, which are I small agencies, do not have the luxury of assigning an officer to the Task Force without some type of salary reimb•. rsement. This is due to the high demands placed on I small agencies with a more limited number of personnel and finan. ial resources than the larger inner metro agencies. Throu h investigations conducted by the Task Force, it has I been ound that narcotics are coming from Hennepin County into he rural communities of the Task Force service area. Drug Sealers in Hennepin County are bringing narcotics ' into he Task Force Service area to sell. Dealers in the Task _-orce Service area are going into Hennepin County for their supply of narcotics, returning, and selling and/or using the drugs in the Task Force service area. I There are no organized narcotic units in any of the law enforcement agencies within the Task Force service area. All of the law enforcement agencies within the Task Force I service area depend on the Task Force for narcotic enforcement, especially when focusing on the "street levels user and dealer. Larger agencies such as the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Drug Enforcement I Agency, and Hennepin County Narcotics focus on the "mid and upper level" dealers and users . If the Task Force did not focus on the "street level" user/dealer, those ' offenders would go untouched the majority of the time. In 1990, the Task Force conducted investigations which resulted in 108 cases being made. Cases were made in 23 I different cities, with the majority being• in the Task Force service area. If it had not been for the Task Force, those offenders would not have been arrested. I • The attorneys handling the narcotics cases presented to II ^� i SOUTHWEST METRO DRUG TASK FORCE ' - TASK FORCE COMPOSITION: The following agencies will be participating in the Task Force during 1992 : South Lake Minnetonka Public Safety 13 sworn officers St Boni/Minnetrista Public Safety 6 sworn officers Carver County Sheriffs Department 40 sworn deputies Scott County Sheriffs Department 29 sworn deputies Prior Lake Police Department 13 sworn officers Shakopee Police Department 18 sworn officers Chanhassen Public Safety 1 sworn officers Chaska Police Department 11 sworn officers Mound Police Department 11 sworn officers ' The following county attorneys offices will be participating in the Task Force during 1992, with each office assigning an attorney to the Task Force: ' Hennepin County Attorneys Office Gail Baez Carver County Attorneys Office Peter Ivy Scott County Attorneys Office Conrad Skonieczny 1 1 I 1 i 1 • - user/dealer, the Task Force was again g increased in staff by one officer. This officer was designated as a coordinator, and was added to the Task Force to handle all of the administrative tasks, and supervise the over all day to day operation of the Task Force. The grant received for 1990 was increased from $36,500 to $45, 000, with the cash match still remaining at $5,000 from each agency. In 1990, having four new officers assigned to the Task , Force, the..first -two months were spent training the new officers before putting them in the field. Officers spent time with Bloomington and Minneapolis narcotic units for a month of in service training, along with training 'from the BCA and other training agencies. There were 108 cases made in 23 different cities in the Task Force service area, involving 64 different individuals during 1990. In 1991, the Prior Lake Police Department joined the Task Fc -ce, bringing the number of agencies in the Task Force to 9 . Ir 1991, the Federal Grant was increased to $142,500, all o: which went to cover salaries for 4 of the 5 officers a signed to the Task Force. The cash match of $47,500 is b ..ng used for operational costs of the Task Force. T 3 Shakopee Police Department did assign an officer to ' t. : Task Force for 1991, with no salary reimbursement for t: e first 4 months of the year, but had to reassign the officer back due to manpower needs . It is . hoped that the c_ ficer will be assigned back to the Task Force in the fall of the year if manpower requirements permit. With small agencies and limited recourses, it is very . difficult for a department to assign an officer to the Task Force for a full year without reimbursement to back fill the position. The first half of 1991 was a period in which the Task Force operated short two officers of its planned staff of five. This came about after one officer was reassigned back to his department due to -man power needs -and two other officers were hired by other agencies in permanent positions. With the shortage, the Task Force was still able to make 54 cases during the first half of 1991. 1 In addition to narcotic enforcement, the Task Force does conduct training for local law enforcement agencies and schools, along with public and private organizations. ' 1 1 - I 11 SOUTHWEST METRO DRUG TASK FORCE PROJECT PERSONNEL/ORGANIZATION: With adequate funds received by way of the federal grant for 1992, the Task Force will have a staff of 5. There will be a Task Force Coordinator and 4 Narcotic Agents . The Task Force Coordinator in this Task Force.. has full responsibility for all administrative functions, in addition to supervision of agents assigned. As a result ' the time the coordinator can spend in the field is very restricted. The Assistant coordinator is relied upon for most of the filed supervision. ' Agencies that will have officers assigned to the Task Force during 1992 include: Carver County Sheriffs Department Scott County Sheriffs Department Shakopee Police Department Mound Police Department ' Each of the assignments will be for two years, except for the coordinator. The coordinator position will be reviewed by the Task Force Committee on an annual basis . ' The Chain of Command for the Task Force is : Task Force Committee Task Force Coordinator Assistant Task Force Coordinator Narcotic Agent The Task Force will operate from the South Lake Minnetonka Public Safety Department. All intelligence received by the Task Force, citizens, other law enforcements agencies and it ' s own investigations will be stored in the computer at the Task Force Office. Information will be distributed to other requesting law enforcements agencies, utilizing proper security measures to assist in their 11 investigations. All drug information reports received by the Task Force will be reviewed by the Task Force Coordinator to determine if an investigation is to be conducted. If an investigation is not assigned, the information will be stored in the computer for future use and/or review. If an investigation is warranted, it will be assigned to an agent. The coordinator will be kept updated as to the progress of the investigation. After the completion of the investigation, the coordinator will review the case to determine if it is to be turned over to the proper county I