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Several Drug Task Forces have some extra money to fight meth and other drugs in the area.

The money comes from the Federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, and is being handed out by the state of Missouri.

In our area, more than $800,000 is headed our way.

The Northeast Missouri Narcotics Task Force out of Monroe City got the biggest chunk in our area at more than $385,000

KHQA found out during the mid 1990s, when meth use was high, that agency had about a dozen agents.

Today it has six.

In the past couple of years, funding has been reduced, but the amount of work the agents do has gone up.

Here's how the grant works, the agencies spend the money, and they get reimbursed.

The money has to be spent and not saved.

"We have spent a lot of the money on equipment. We are authorized to hire one new detective. We are in the hiring process right now," says Capt. Tim Forney.

"Many times, these narcotics cases are the root of all evil. These guys just aren't manufacturing meth, they're burglarizing homes, stealing cars, doing whatever they can to support their habit," says Lewis County Sheriff David Parrish.

Lewis County Sheriff David Parrish chairs the Task Force.

Captain Tim Forney tells KHQA the group received extra money from the state, but says the task force could not exist without the help and support of county and city governments.

The following is a news release from Missouri Governor Jay Nixon:

Gov. Nixon awards more than $7.3 million in drug task force, technology grants to local law enforcement agencies

36 police and sheriff’s departments across Missouri will receive Recovery Act funds to strengthen enforcement efforts and prevention of drug crimes

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Gov. Jay Nixon announced today that law enforcement agencies across Missouri will share more than $7.3 million in grants designed to combat drug-related crimes and strengthen law enforcement efforts.  The Missouri Department of Public Safety is responsible for the allocation of the funds, which are provided under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

“The production, sale and use of illegal drugs are problems that devastate communities and put Missouri citizens at great risk,” Gov. Nixon said.  “Specialized task forces that allow law enforcement officers to focus on solving drug-related crimes are a powerful tool for dealing with troubling issues like the spread of methamphetamine.  Today, we put more than $7 million of new resources in the hands of officers who’ll use them to crack down on the criminals who traffic and sell illegal narcotics in their communities and to improve their law enforcement agencies.”

Gov. Nixon announced the grant awards during visits to the Greene County Combined Ozarks Multi-jurisdictional Enforcement Team (COMET) initiative in Springfield and the Jackson County Multi-jurisdictional Drug Task Force in Kansas City.  The Greene County COMET initiative will receive $525,925 in grant funding, while the Jackson County Task Force will receive $341,256 which it intends to use to fund the retention of several officers and their vehicles.

 “It’s gratifying to know that we’re putting these funds to good use, getting more resources, people and equipment out on the street in population centers like Kansas City and Springfield, as well as in rural Missouri,” Gov. Nixon said.  “These dollars make a real difference for our cops and the people they protect.” 

In total, $7,339,177 in federal Justice Assistance Grants (JAG) are being awarded to 28 drug task forces operated by counties, municipalities and the Missouri State Highway Patrol and to eight law enforcement agencies to strengthen their law enforcement programs.  Because of federal budget cuts this year that slashed more than 60 percent of the funding for drug task force initiatives, the Nixon administration sought an allocation of Recovery Act funds that would let applicant agencies fill the gap created by those cuts.  The $7.3 million announced today will prevent many of the recipient agencies from being forced to make cuts to their drug task force programs, even in the face of difficult economic conditions.

In addition to COMET and the Jackson County task forces, other initiatives receiving a portion of the $7.3 million include:

• The North Missouri Drug Task Force in Adair County will receive $291,611;
• The East Central Drug Task Force in Audrain County will receive $137,350;
• The Southwest Missouri Drug Task Force in Barry County will receive $280,956;
• The North County M.E.G Drug Task Force in Bridgeton will receive $47,900;
• The Buchanan County Drug Strike Force will receive $288,241;
• Operation Computerize in Caldwell County will receive $32,259;
• The Lake Area Narcotics Enforcement Group in Camden County will receive $271,888;
• The Clark County patrol vehicle upgrade project will receive $27,311;
• The Technology Enhancement project in Crocker will receive $16,516;
• The Clay County Drug Task Force will receive $351,855;
• The Forsyth Emergency Communications Project will receive $61,366;
• The Franklin County Narcotics Enforcement Unit will receive $115,201;
• The NITRO Drug Task Force in Grundy County will receive $96,367;
• The South Central Drug Task Force in Howell County will receive $331,159;
• The Jasper County Drug Task Force will receive $88,207;
• MUSTANG in Jefferson City will receive $189,215;
• The Jefferson County Municipal Enforcement Group will receive $320,112;
• The Kansas City Multi-jurisdictional Task Force will receive $419,008;
• The Lafayette County Narcotics Unit will receive $190,371;
• The Mineral Area Drug Task Force in Leadington will receive $170,443;
• The Northwest Missouri Information Sharing Project in Maryville will receive $148,239;
• The Northeast Missouri Narcotics Task Force in Monroe City will receive $385,081;
• The Mid-Missouri Multi-jurisdictional Drug Task Force in Morgan County will receive $254,169;
• The Bootheel Drug Task Force in Pemiscot County will receive $294,635;
• The Perry County Sheriff ruse checkpoints will receive $16,419;
• The Platte County Multi-jurisdictional Enforcement Group will receive $278,431;
• The SEMO Drug Task Force in Poplar Bluff will receive $237,276;
• Radio Free Reynolds in Reynolds County will receive $87,815;
• The St. Charles County Regional Drug Task Force will receive $265,970;
• The Community Narcotics Enforcement Team in St. Clair County will receive $206,305;
• The Metro Multi-jurisdictional Undercover Drug Program in the City of St. Louis will receive $238,339;
• The Multi-jurisdictional Drug Task Force in St. Louis County will receive $195,206;
• Project Mobile in Stover will receive $24,500; and
• The University of Central Missouri police department technology upgrade will receive $112,262.