NCJ Number
146498
Date Published
1993
Length
58 pages
Annotation
The efforts of multijurisdictional task forces for which the Washington State Patrol provided supervisory, investigatory and clerical personnel are evaluated. Performance data are provided for 4.5 years.
Abstract
Beginning in 1987, multijurisdictional drug task forces were formed in Washington State under the Drug Control and Systems Improvement Formula Grant Program of the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986. By 1992, 24 task forces were in operation throughout the State. The project was administered by the Washington State Department of Community Development. The Washington State Patrol (WSP) was assigned the task of coordinating the task forces and received $2,103,209 in Federal funds over 4.5 years for this purpose. WSP placed trained narcotics personnel in local drug task forces to serve as supervisors. In addition, WSP personnel served as investigators and trainers and provided clerical support to the task forces. By 1992, WSP staff had been assigned to five of the task forces. Performance data from each of these task forces including personnel assigned, training received by investigators, number of arrests by level of offense and quantity of drugs seized is reported for each of four funding cycles. Over the 4.5 years of funding, 1,185 drug involved individuals were arrested as a result of the task forces. Twenty-five percent of the arrests were for mid-to upper-level drug trafficking charges with the majority of these arrests coming in the first 1.5 years of operation. Marijuana accounted for the largest dollar value of drugs seized. A number of recommendations are provided for improvements in future task force operations. 15 tables, 22 graphs