Local law enforcement agencies brace for cuts

Millions of dollars in cuts to programs fighting drug trafficking are expected to hit counties across the country next year, but some local law enforcement agencies will be more affected than others.

Colusa County Sheriff Scott Marshall said drug enforcement funding in his department will be reduced by about 67 percent in 2008-09.

"If these cuts are not restored, there will be fewer personnel for drug enforcement," Marshall said. "We have to fight for everything we can get every year."

Congress announced a two-thirds cut in funding for the Bryne Justice Assistance Grant for the 2008-09 fiscal year, a drop from $520 million to $170 million across the U.S. Marshall said his Byrne budget will drop from $114,000 this year to $38,000.

Sutter County Undersheriff J. Paul Parker said it is hard to tell what the cuts will mean for his department without knowing the specifics from Congress.

"Any loss of federal funding that we utilize will affect the department negatively," Parker said. "But at this point it's all up in the air. It's hard to tell how it will affect us."

Parker said Sutter County uses the Byrne grant to fund its contribution of an officer to the local Narcotics Enforcement Team, a multi-agency task force charged with combating drug use and sales.

Yuba County Sheriff Steve Durfor said the only effect such cuts would have on his department would be the ability to obtain Byrne funding for future programs.

"There are no programs (in Yuba County) attached to that grant," Durfor said. "But our ability to fund (future) programs will be limited."

Durfor said Yuba County received federal justice assistance money this year for technology upgrades.

Contact Appeal-Democrat reporter Andrea Koskey at 749-4709 or akoskey@appealdemocrat.com. Colusa County Sun-Herald reporter Robert Parsons contributed to this report.