Special to the Voice

The Jackson Police Department was one of two dozen law enforcement agencies receiving a total of more than $209,000 in asset forfeiture funds by Operation UNITE last Friday in Hazard. Jackson’s total was $14,461.55, with the money derived from illegal drug activity and distributed to the police agencies.

“I appreciate the work that UNITE has done for the city and county,” said Jackson Police Chief Clyde Caudill in a telephone interview with the Voice, “and I hope people here appreciate all the hard work UNITE is doing to help make our job of wiping out drugs easier. I can see a difference over the last eighteen months. Drugs are harder to come by these days than they used to.”

Fifth District Congressman Harold “Hal” Rogers presented checks to the JPD and 23 other city police and county sheriff’s departments who have participated with UNITE’s law enforcement branch by sponsoring officers. Funds were distributed based upon the length of the agency’s participation.

Participating agencies agree to sponsor one or more officers to work as a UNITE detective. The officers, who must go through an application and review process, remain a member of the sponsoring department. UNITE reimburses the department for his or her salary and fringe benefits.

“UNITE’s drug investigative task forces would be unable to function without the strong support of local police agencies,” said Dan Smoot, director of law enforcement. “These officers have made tremendous progress in taking drug-dealers off the streets.”

The money – a total of $209,130.96 – represents 100 percent of forfeited funds awarded by state and federal courts since the inception of UNITE’s law enforcement initiative in January 2004 through September 30, 2006. None of the proceeds have been retained by UNITE and will go back into communities to fight illegal drug activity.

Funds were distributed during a special reception and ceremony held at the Hal Rogers Forum in Hazard.

Forfeited assets may be cash or personal property seized as proceeds of illegal drug activity or because it was used to facilitate a crime. The assets are kept until a judge orders them either returned to the owner or ordered them forfeited.

Detectives have jurisdiction throughout all 29 counties in the Fifth Congressional District.

Through September 2007 UNITE detectives have:

• Arrested 1,578 individuals

• Placed 2,990 criminal charges

• Achieved a 99.2 percent conviction rate

• Dismantled 42 methamphetamine labs

• Had 50 cases adopted for federal prosecution

• Removed or seized drugs with a street value of $6,342,715.92, including 46,104 pills, 18.968 pounds of cocaine, 11.217 pounds of methamphetamine, 102.075 pounds of processed marijuana, and 4,138 marijuana plants.

• Investigated 11,152 calls made to the Drug Tip Line (1-866-424-4382).