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CHIEF MILLS TO LEAD COUNTY'S ANTI-DRUG TASK FORCE

Independence Police Chief Fred Mills will lead the Jackson County Drug Task Force as chairman of its board of directors for the next year.

The board, consisting of 12 area police chiefs and the Jackson County Sheriff, selected Mills to serve the one-year term Oct.  3.

The task force is a special law enforcement body dedicated to drug crimes and funded by the COMBAT tax.  It is staffed by about 30 officers from departments in Independence, Blue Springs, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Sugar Creek, Lone Jack, Oak Grove, Grain Valley, Lake Lotawana, Greenwood, Buckner and the sheriff's office.

"Drugs are a severe community problem, a societal problem, and we are committed to providing the task force with the resources they need," Mills said.

He plans to ask COMBAT officials to reconsider the way it funds the task force.  Currently, the task force receives about 9.5 percent of COMBAT revenues or about $1.9 million in 2002.  However, the amount of dollars fluctuates as tax revenues rise and fall.

"We just cannot effectively run a unit like that," Mills said.  "We need a steady allocation amount to insure we don't have to cut staff or drop operations."

Mills said he does not anticipate any operational, personnel or policy changes at the task force.  He will concentrate his leadership on funding issues and helping promote task force's accomplishes to the public in the upcoming campaign to renew the COMBAT tax.  The 1/4-cent sales tax is set to expire in 2004.

"The ( chairman ) position is really one of facilitator.  Any changes or new initiatives will be through a collaborative effort with all of the agencies," Mills said.