Let's more fully fund our drug task forces

Here's the latest Notes from the Newsroom
You can read Sasha's full story about the drug bust/chase here.

A disturbing trend was highlighted in last week’s high speed car chase that ended in a drug bust and arrest of two out-of-state men near Charlo. Both were apprehended after the chase and charged with criminal endangerment, possession with intent to sell, tampering with evidence and numerous traffic offenses.
Stephen Dale Leischner, 23, of American Falls, Idaho, and driver Dustin Jade Morgan, 23, of Idaho, were allegedly in town to distribute meth they’d brought.
It seems that more and more these days, drugs are being shuttled into our area.
Brian Fyant, a Northwest Drug Task Force member and narcotics investigator for the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, told report Sasha Goldstein that rather than cooking, producing and selling methamphetamine on the reservation, drug dealers are bringing meth to the reservation from other parts of the country or leaving the area to procure the drug and bringing it back.
Drugs of any kind, no matter how they’re made, sold and used, have no place here. That’s obvious. What is particularly disturbing in this case is the added violation of safety and well-being of residents by the men. The chase reached upwards of 120 MPH, ending in no injuries, but chases like that put everyone on the road in danger.
What this says to us is that more funding needs to go to groups like the NW Drug Task Force.
The Northwest Drug Task Force covers a five county area that encompasses most of Western Montana. The force on the Flathead Reservation is staffed solely by tribal police. The work between counties is key, but so is a well-funded, wider-reaching network that will allow communication that can provide crucial background that will keep officials ahead of criminals.
Cutting the snake off at its head is the best way to combat drug problems. Our area law enforcement officials do a stellar job of combatting drug activies around our area. Think of what they could do if more funds, data and communication to stop out-of-town drug operations from infiltrating our area.
Drug trafficking problems are intricate and far-reaching webs. That’s evident by the fact that people bring mere ounces of substances like meth hundreds of miles.
It was top-notch work by the plainclothes Task Force members to secure an informant, recognize and stop the two Idaho men. That’s two more drug dealers off the street.
Think of what a fully funded force ten times that big could do to keep drugs off out streets.