Pubdate: Thu, 14 Aug 2014
Source: Star News (Elk River, MN)
Copyright: 2014 Star News
Contact:  http://www.erstarnews.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4106
Author: Joni Astrup

ELK RIVER CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERS ADDING A DRUG DETECTIVE

Elk River may add a new weapon to the local war on drugs.

Funding for a new drug task force detective is in the city's 
preliminary budget for 2015.

Council members heard more about the position during a budget work 
session Monday and expressed some support for it. But a final 
decision won't be made until the budget is finalized later this year.

Under the plan, the Elk River Police Department would assign an 
existing officer to the Sherburne County Drug Task Force as a 
detective, and hire a new entry-level officer to fill that vacated 
position. Total cost is estimated at $67,000 to $77,000.

The council considered a similar proposal last year, but didn't move 
forward with it.

Representatives from the Elk River Police Department as well as Chief 
Deputy Don Starry, Capt. Scott Fildes and Sgt. Ben Zawacki of the 
Sherburne County Sheriff's Department were at Monday's council work 
session to explain more about the proposed position.

Elk River Police Chief Brad Rolfe said a good share of the crime in 
Elk River is related to drug abuse.

Recent drug-related crimes have included a home invasion and two 
armed robberies of a convenience store, he said.

Additionally, Rolfe said a significant number of burglaries and 
thefts from vehicles can be tied to drug activity.

There also have been drug overdoses in the city and county, he said.

Placing an Elk River officer on the Sherburne County Drug Task Force 
is a goal for 2015, one part of the total effort to deal with the 
local drug problem, he said.

About a quarter of the drug cases opened by the Sherburne County Drug 
Task Force originate in Elk River, mostly dealing with 
methamphetamine, marijuana and, more recently, heroin, according to Zawacki.

Sherburne County drug arrests by jurisdiction show that between 2008 
and 2013, there were 1,977 drug arrests in Sherburne County, 911 of 
which were in Elk River. That compares to 132 in Big Lake and 61 in 
Becker, with the remainder occurring in other parts of Sherburne County.

Since January 2012 there have been 21 drug overdose deaths throughout 
Sherburne County, eight of which have been in Elk River. This 
includes overdoses attributed to all drugs, not just heroin.

The Sherburne County Drug Task Force is currently made up of four 
employees from the Sherburne County Sheriff's Department.

Fildes said having an Elk River officer added to the drug task force 
would be beneficial because that officer knows the city and the 
citizens better than county deputies. Plus, the task force receives 
information from confidential informants about burglaries and other 
crimes, not just drug crimes, and that can be passed on to the police 
department and help solve cases, he said.

Additionally, officers serve a three-year rotation on the drug task 
force, and then bring those skills back to other jobs in their department.

Council Member Matt Westgaard said it makes sense to dedicate an Elk 
River officer to an existing drug task force.

Mayor John Dietz also voiced support for adding the position.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom