History
The Stark County Sheriff’s Office Metro Narcotics Unit is one of the oldest existing Drug Units in Ohio, beginning operation in 1969. The mission of the Metro Unit is to identify, investigate and take enforcement action against illegal narcotic trafficking and related criminal activity in conjunction with, but not in place of, local, state and federal enforcement efforts. Metro is a multi-jurisdictional task force that is supplied personnel from police agencies within Stark County. We also work in conjunction with local, state and federal agencies to achieve our objectives.
Funding
The Metro Unit was funded solely by SCOG (Stark Council of Governments) from its beginning in 1969 until 2003, when due to economic reasons; SCOG reduced the funding for this operation. At this time, the Stark County Sheriff’s Office began housing the unit and paying many expenses while the unit received a reduced contribution from SCOG that covered salaries and other miscellaneous items.
In 2012, SCOG announced that effective July 1, 2012, they would no longer fund this unit due to decreased local government funds from the state, which was the collaborative primary funding source. They would instead use all of their resources for maintaining the Canton/Stark County Crime Lab. At this time, it was decided that the Stark County Sheriff’s Office would assume overall responsibility for financial, administrative and operation of the Metro Narcotics Unit.
The Stark County Sheriff’s Office Metro Narcotics Unit receives funding from two grants:
Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program (JAG)
Proposed to streamline justice funding and grant administration, the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program allows states, tribes, and local governments to support a broad range of activities to prevent and control crime based on their own local needs and conditions. The JAG program blends the previous Byrne formula and Local Law Enforcement Block grant programs into a single program to provide agencies with the flexibility to prioritize and place justice funds where they are needed most.
Drug Law Enforcement Fund
HB 562/HB 2
Establishes Additional Court Fee to Help Fund Drug Enforcement Efforts
As of Sept. 23, 2008, a $10 court fee is assessed for all offenders who are convicted of, or plead guilty to, a moving traffic violation.
Funds from this are made available as grant funds proposed to defray the expenses that a drug task force organization incurs in performing its functions related to the enforcement of the state’s drug laws and other state laws related to illegal drug activity, the Ohio Drug Law Enforcement Fund provides agencies with the flexibility to prioritize and place funds where they are needed most.
Trends
Current drug trends in our community:
Marijuana, Cocaine, Crack Cocaine, Prescription Drug Abuse, Heroin, Methamphetamine.