Sen. Harkin hopes to rescue millions to fight illegal drugs
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By Ed Tibbetts | Friday, February 08, 2008 |
Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin discusses his plan to restore funding for the Byrne Justice Assistance Grant Program to members of the law enforcement community during a meeting Friday afternoon at the new Davenport Police Station. Representatives from Clinton to Muscatine counties, including Scott County Sheriff Dennis Conard (in the background), described the setbacks, such as efforts to fight illegal drugs, if the funding is not restored. (John Schultz/QUAD-CITY TIMES) Buy this Photo
The Quad-Cities’ fight against illegal drugs is being threatened by federal budget cuts, law enforcement officials said at a forum in Davenport Friday. U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, convened the meeting as part of his effort to restore nearly $500 million to a program that was cut as part of a budget deal approved last December.
The cuts were to a Justice Department grant program that funds multi-jurisdictional task forces, such as the Quad-City Metropolitan Enforcement Group. The program is named after Edward Byrne, a New York City police officer who was shot and killed while protecting a drug case witness in 1988.
Quad-City MEG is heavily involved in fighting drug trafficking here.
Scott County Sheriff Dennis Conard said losing the money would cost the two deputies his department has in the unit. “That would be a big hit,” he said.
In addition to the current year’s cuts, the Bush administration is proposing folding other law enforcement assistance initiatives into the Byrne program and funding it at $200 million in the fiscal year that begins in October. That’s much less than what it’s received in the past.
Harkin predicted Friday that proposal will be turned back. He said what he’s trying to do is build support to attach the $490 million lost this year to the Iraq/Afghanistan funding bill expected to be debated this spring.
“This is as important to the safety of our country as that war in Iraq,” Harkin said.
Congress and the administration have sparred over the Byrne program for years.
An administration study in 2005 said it hasn’t proved its effectiveness and overlapped some other federal initiatives. Some budget watchdogs don’t like it, either.
“It has not been demonstrated that this program is working,” said David Williams, vice president of policy at Citizens Against Government Waste.
Law enforcement officials had a different perspective Friday.
Chris Endress, the director of Quad-City MEG, said the funds pay for interdiction efforts the organization has mounted at such places as area hotels. And it helps pay for education programs aimed at kids, educators and businesses, he said.
“We’re making a difference in the Quad-Cities, and we can’t afford to lose these officers,” he said.
Byrne program money pays for five officers in the MEG unit.
Last year, more than $340,000 was granted to Quad-City agencies for MEG-related activities.
“We’ve heard a lot lately about doing more with less. What you’re getting with less is less,” Endress added.
Officials from Davenport, Bettendorf, Burlington, Clinton and the Scott County Attorney’s Office offered testaments to the effectiveness of the efforts.
Davenport Mayor Bill Gluba, who also attended the forum, said no city money was available to provide a bridge in funding, either.
The state of Iowa got $2.9 million in Byrne grants in fiscal year 2007, down from $5.5 million in 2003.
Iowa’s drug task force seized $31 million worth of illegal drugs last year and arrested 3,900 people, with nearly 2,200 convicted, according to state statistics.
Ed Tibbetts can be contacted at (563) 383-2327 or etibbetts@qctimes.com.
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