Source: San Luis Obispo Telegram-Tribune Contact: Thursday, January 8, 1998 Website: http://www.sanluisobispo.com/ Page: B-1, SLO County Section Author: Danna Dykstra, Telegram-Tribune SHERIFF PULLS DEPUTIES FROM NARCOTICS DETAIL Department of Justice probe county NTF triggers move of 3 officers SAN LUIS OBISPO -- Sheriff Ed Williams has relocated the three deputies assigned to the countywide Narcotic Task Force, pending the outcome of a state Department of Justice investigation. "There is a personnel issue that arose out of the NTF, and that issue is being handled by the state Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement," Williams said during an interview last week. "There is an internal investigation within the NTF, and while that is going on, those deputies assigned to the task force are working out of our detective bureau." Williams said the deputies are conducting investigations independent of the NTF, although they are in contact with task force members to ensure they do not overlap investigations. The task force has continued to work cases throughout the state investigation. Williams, citing confidentiality laws, declined to name the target of the probe or the circumstances surrounding it. He said his deputies are no longer reporting to NTF Cmdr. Craig Wright, a state Department of Justice employee assigned in 1994 to head the 10-member task force in San Luis Obispo County. The deputies have not worked out of the NTF office since late September. Wright was not available for comment. An employee at the NTF office said Wednesday Wright was out of the office and "would not be returning from the holidays" until Jan. 13 or 14. A Justice Department spokesman declined to comment on whether Wright is the target of the probe. "We can't go in to personnel matters," said Mike Van Winkle. Jim Gardiner, the chief of the San Luis Obispo Police Department and chairman of the NTF governing board, also declined to comment on any aspect of the investigation. He said the board is working toward returning the deputies to the task force. The multi-agency task force was created to target the county's major drug cases. It is comprised of officers from various law enforcement agencies. The only cities that do not participate are Pismo Beach and Morro Bay. The NTF governing board, which votes and oversees task force matters, includes police chiefs from some participating cities, Sheriff Williams, District Attorney Barry LaBarbera and Dick Flood of the state Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement. Williams worked on the formation of the task force and has been on the NTF board of governors since its inception in 1981. He said he has always supported the multi-agency concept in battling the county's drug problems, but the circumstances surrounding the probe were of enough concern he decided to temporarily pull his people until the matter is resolved. "I just put a third person in (the task force) six months ago; my opinion relative to the concept has not changed a bit," Williams said. "I still feel very strongly that the drug problem requires a countywide effort. (Agencies working independently) is not the most efficient way of doing business."