Pubdate: Sun, 30 Sep 2001 Source: Daily Independent, The (KY) Copyright: 2001 The Daily Independent, Inc. Contact: http://www.dailyindependent.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1573 Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/af.htm (Asset Forfeiture) FUNDING FADE Money Must Always Be Available To Make Undercover Purchases Of Drugs If necessary, the FIVCO Area Drug Enforcement Task Force should dip into its forfeiture account in order to continue the undercover drug buys essential to building cases against those who traffic in illegal drugs. Raceland Mayor Dick Fields is right. If the task force ever reaches the point where it cannot make a drug buy because of a lack of funds, "we might as well close up and go to the house ..." FADE Director Bob Jessie last week told the agency's board that the budget for drug buys has been reduced from $50,000 to $40,000 for the fiscal year that began July 1. Of that amount, $16,000 already has been spent. He said he has instructed FADE officers to stretch the remaining $24,000 as far as possible. Jessie said he is reluctant to use the agency's forfeiture account for drug buys because he wants to use the fund as a hedge against future budget cuts. However, it is better to use that account than not to make a drug buy that will strengthen a case against an alleged pusher. This newspaper has long opposed the seizure of the property of those who have been neither charged nor convicted of drug offenses, but both state and federal laws now limit such abuses of power. However, seizing the assets of those convicted of drug offenses - particularly if those assets were gained from money earned through drug trafficking - is a legitimate means of funding drug enforcement programs. The forfeiture fund should be used to further anti-drug enforcement efforts. For the small counties and communities that participate in FADE, the agency provides their most effective means of investigating drug trafficking. Indeed, without FADE, there would be little or no investigation of drug trafficking in those communities. FADE has a record of building strong cases against drug traffickers that lead to convictions. Drug buys are an essential part of its undercover operations. Money to make purchases of drugs that could put some pusher out of business should come from wherever it is available. - --- MAP posted-by: Jackl