Pubdate: Tue, 09 Oct 2007
Source: Daily Sentinel, The (Grand Junction, CO)
Copyright: 2007 Cox Newspapers, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.gjsentinel.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2084
Author: Le Roy Standish

GRANT FUNDS TO SHERIFF TARGET ILLEGAL DRUG USE

Mesa County Commissioners on Monday voted to spend more than $100,000 
in federal and state grants that will help mainly the Sheriff's 
Department, which has been stretched to the limit in recent months by 
high-profile criminal investigations.

The commissioners approved spending the grant money on translators, 
communications equipment and overtime. They also approved a grant 
application for audio and video equipment to replace the decade-old 
equipment now being used for video arraignments at the county jail.

"We had some major cases going on," said Eleanor Thomas, finance 
director for the county, referring to a $52,668 grant from the High 
Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program. "They have been giving us a 
lot of money lately."

The dollars from HIDTA go to support the drug task forces of the 
Grand Junction Police Department and the Sheriff's Department, 
Sheriff's Department spokeswoman Norma Mestas said.

Most of the $52,668 grant was used to pay for translators, said 
Debbie Murray, fiscal manager for the sheriff's department.

A Drug Enforcement Administration grant for $17,155 will go to pay 
for overtime incurred by officers in street crimes units.

"These are the guys going after the meth and the bad guys," Murray said.

Mestas said authorities' work has earned a lot of money for the law 
enforcement forfeiture fund, which takes money seized during drug 
busts and uses it to purchase various equipment.

People who are arrested in connection with those busts will continue 
to be arraigned from jail, thanks to a $38,090 grant from the Victim 
Assistance and Law Enforcement program to pay for new audio and video 
equipment.

The practice saves money because the inmates do not have to be taken 
to court, and increases safety by reducing transports between the 
jail and the courthouse.

"The equipment we have is approximately 14 years old," Mesa County 
sheriff's Sgt. Donna Dougherty told the commissioners when asking for 
their approval of the grant. "Half the time it doesn't work."

On the other side of the coin, the sheriff's department is saving 
more than $95,000 in payroll after taking control of the work release 
program from the county Criminal Justice Services Department in August.

Jobs were re-evaluated and staffing adjusted under the sheriff's department.

"There was a huge turnover due to the fact the job responsibilities 
changed," Mestas said.

Fourteen of the criminal justice staff positions were transferred 
over to the sheriff's department. Not all of the positions have been 
filled yet, Mesa County Administrator Jon Peacock said.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom