Costa Mesa to join drug task force
Andrew Glazer
COSTA MESA -- The City Council voted to join a coalition of Southern
California drug-fighting agencies Monday night.
Membership to the Southern California Drug Task Force requires the Costa
Mesa Police Department to redeploy one of its six narcotics officers to a
central Los Angeles office.
Lt. Ron Smith said doing so will allow the city to be more active in
squeezing out major drug suppliers.
“We’re adding more power to what we’re doing on our streets,” Smith told
the council.
Smith also said that as a member of the task force, the city would have
greater access to drug-fighting intelligence, high-tech surveillance
equipment and manpower.
The coalition comprises approximately 30 other city, county, state and
federal anti-drug agencies, including the U.S. Department of Justice and
the Drug Enforcement Agency.
The council delayed approving the membership at its last meeting,
agreeing that a police department report on the task force lacked
important information.
The report suggested that joining the task force would bring the city
increased revenue from money, cars and homes seized in drug arrests.
However, it did not determine how much it would cost the city to join the
regional force.
A revised report said the city will still be responsible for paying the
redeployed officer’s salary, benefits and overtime, which amount to about
$90,000. The DEA will reimburse the city for approximately $8,800 of the
officer’s overtime pay.
Councilwoman Linda Dixon, who eventually voted for the membership, asked
Smith why the city should reshuffle the city’s successful narcotics unit.
“We continue attacking at street level without narcotics officers and
attack the suppliers and major cartels with our task force,” responded
Smith. “If we only concentrate on one, I’m afraid we’d never get a lid on
it.”
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