Future of HUNT in jeopardy because of funding woes
The continued existence of the Huron Undercover Narcotics Team may be at risk because of the failure in recent years of Alpena and Montmorency County to financially support the drug fighting group of law enforcement officers. According to Presque Isle County prosecutor Don McLennan, even with a couple of positive developments over the last two weeks, rainy day funds for the HUNT team are expected to dry up this year, putting the future of the unit in question. The team services Presque Isle, Alcona, Alpena, and Montmorency Counties.
?We?ve had to dip into the forfeiture fund, which had been saved for a rainy day. It?s raining now,? McLennan observed. Some of the encouraging news was a check for more that $26,000 which was given to members of HUNT this week from the sale of a home that was forfeited by a convicted drug dealer in west Presque Isle County. In addition, funding for the Byrne Memorial grant program was restored in the omnibus Appropriation Bill for Fiscal Year 2003, which was approved nearly two weeks ago.
HUNT, WITH five officers, appears to be holding its own, but tough decisions loom in the future. ?There?s even been talk of possibly eliminating one or both counties from HUNT coverage,? said McLennan. ?Certainly that would be an unfortunate development because we all recognize that by working together, we can be much more efficient.? ?We don?t have adequate money to continue to operate the team unless we get the contributions from those other two units,? said McLennan of Alpena and Montmorency. Presque Isle?s contribution is $19,000 for 2003. McLennan said when HUNT was organized, all four counties agreed upon a formula, but Montmorency and Alpena ?have not been meeting their obligation.? These issues, and whether cutbacks are necessary, are to be addressed at a meeting before spring.
?The bang for the buck that?s provided by an undercover drug team can not be compared to anything similar which might be accomplished by uniformed officers,? said McLennan. ?This is a fact that is recognized across the country and in the last couple of years it might seem the only exception to that rule is in the counties of Alpena and Montmorency.?
McLennan said having six officers as a part of the HUNT team would be an ideal level, instead of the five working now. ?They?ve been doing a very commendable job with just five, but it?s unfortunate we don?t have the optimum level,? said McLennan.
FUNDS FROM the sale of the house auctioned in Allis Township will assist the operation of HUNT. The home was owned by Cleo Tucker, who was sent to prison for selling Oxycontin out of the two-story dwelling. The prosecutor?s office filed a complaint under the drug provision of the Public Health Code and a judge granted summary disposition on the forfeiture last year.
?This case is just like a lot of cases we attempt to judicate through the prosecutor?s office,? said Lt. Commander Rick Schultz. ?These are what you would call the spoils of the victors.? ?It was an experience,? said Jerry Gray, assistant prosecutor of seeing the forfeiture proceeding through to conclusion. ?It?s something we haven?t done before. I think the outcome of it was very good,? he said. Schultz said it?s a reminder for those who want to ?dabble? in drug trafficking ?that there are consequences other than the criminal process.? ?These are tools that the law has provided us,? said Schultz. ?We will take advantage and use every tool in our toolbox to combat narcotic trafficking, not just here in Presque Isle, but the other counties that HUNT services as well.?
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?It makes us very concerned about the safety of our children when we see the harder drugs reaching into northeast Michigan,? said McLennan. ?We?re hoping the county commissioners in Alpena and Montmorency Counties would reconsider their priorities and take steps to ensure the continued effectiveness of the drug interdiction efforts.?
by Peter Jakey, Managing Editor