Letter: Marysville must fund Net-5 enforcement

Although not a resident of Marysville, I read with concern the potential of one budget cut being discussed by the Marysville City Council. This cut would not only affect the quality of life in Marysville, but throughout the counties of Sutter and Yuba. The Yuba-Sutter Narcotic Enforcement Team — Net-5 is an area task force comprised of member agencies (usually small to medium- sized police agencies) and the state of California to impact the drug problems facing our communities. Marysville would no longer participate in Net-5, probably moving that officer to patrol or detective duties in an effort to cut costs.

Although Net-5 would continue to operate in Marysville (drug dealers and users do not recognize city/county borders), the team would lose a valuable member, would be decreased in size, losing some of its ability to impact crime, and, the personal interest in Marysville, from having a local officer as a team member, would be lost.

The short-term savings in payroll costs would be lost in the increase in property crimes (burglaries and theft), robbery, and with the current drug of choice being meth, an increase in violence. As a retired law enforcement officer with 27 years of service, I can guarantee the drug issues facing our communities will only get worse if enforcement is decreased or curtailed.

Our communities currently enjoy the advantage of having Supervising Agent Mike Hudson overseeing Net-5. His dedication to the removal of illicit drugs from our streets spans many years and assignments. His ability to move Net-5 in the right direction is obvious in the almost daily reports in the Appeal-Democrat of arrests and seizures the team has made. Help him and Net-5 continue to identify and arrest those engaged in crime by ensuring he has the necessary resources to accomplish the job - agency participation.

Keep your community as safe as possible. I would encourage those living in Marysville to contact their city council members and the city manager opposing this proposed cut. Look for a budget cut which will not be so expensive in the long run. Turn off the water a little longer.

Terry Brown

Brownsville