The Lee County Narcotics Task Force got its start in 1992.
The organization has been extremely active since the start of 2012. It has made public dozens of arrests throughout the county.
Commander Stacy Weber credits the work of the detectives involved with the task force. He says they are three of the most highly motivated officers he has ever met.
Weber also credits the flow of information coming from inmates and staff within the Lee County Jail.
“The goal of the task force is to disrupt the flow of narcotics,” says Weber. He jokes that people are checking under their beds to see if a member of the task force is there.
Weber says one drawback from the increased activity has been the population at the jail. He says it has become common for more than 80 inmates to be at the facility because the latest sweep(s) by the task force.
This is one of the reasons why the county is looking to expand the facility much sooner than anticipated.
Weber says the Lee County Narcotics Task Force utilizes the “sweep” method.
“Anyone who has anything to do with what we are there to do goes to jail for every little infraction,” says Weber. “We want to make a dent in this.”
Weber says the most shocking statistic from the task force is that from July 2010 through December 2011, 35 children were removed from meth houses. He says children are a priority for the organization.
Weber says the public plays a key role in the success of the Lee County Narcotics Task Force.
He says the next challenge facing the organization is bath salts because of the availability and the ease of changing the ingredients to make the legal substance illegal.
You can hear more with Commander Stacy Weber by clicking the audio link above.
