Committee restores drug task force for rural Nevada

Plans by Gov. Kenny Guinn to eliminate rural Nevada drug-fighting teams and 15 criminal investigator posts were rejected Thursday by the Assembly Ways and Means Committee.

Guinn recommended cutting the 18-member narcotics task force, which serves as a Nevada drug-policing agency for the entire state. But the Nevada committee was told it would cost $875,000 to operate the Nevada task force for the next two years, and the Nevada Department of Public Safety could draw that from $1.7 million in forfeiture funds.

Assemblyman John Marvel, R-Battle Mountain, said the Nevada task force plays a key role in fighting drug trafficking and manufacturing in rural counties, as well as in the cities.

“I think there’s probably a drug bust once or twice a week in these areas,” Marvel said. “They’ve done a very good job.”

In previous testimony on the Nevada task force, a Senate-Assembly budget subcommittee heard the task force also receives special training on dealing with hazardous materials, including those used in the manufacture of methamphetamine.

Most rural Nevada counties don’t have personnel trained to deal with those materials, which often have extremely dangerous byproducts.

Sen. Mark Amodei, R-Carson City, also noted during the previous hearing that it’s important to have drug-fighting groups with jurisdiction across county lines because drug manufacturing is such a transient activity.

The committee also rejected Guinn’s proposal to eliminate 21 Nevada investigative positions from the Division of Investigations. The Nevada governor said the cut was needed to stop duplicating services provided by the state and by local government agencies.

Nevada panel members were told the positions aren’t duplicates, and went along with a proposal to cut just six of the positions — leaving intact 15 other positions Guinn had proposed to cut.

Nevada assembly Speaker Richard Perkins, D-Henderson, said government’s primary role is to ensure public safety, and the 15 positions should be retained.

“There are places we need to find to cut, but I don’t think this is it,” Perkins said.

It will cost Nevada an additional $1.2 million over the biennium to keep the 15 investigators.