Columbia River Drug Task Force scrambles to secure adequate funding, receiving $150,000 grant from Department of Commerce

Chelan County Sheriff
Mike Morrison

WENATCHEE—The Columbia River Drug Task Force (CRDTF) acquired $150,000 in grant funding from the Washington State Department of Commerce. The grant was allocated following a direct Ellensburg address from the CRDTF and other drug task forces across the state centered on the criticality of funding for drug task forces. 

Though this new grant is sizable, Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison is concerned with the overall amount of funding that the CRDTF has received in the last year.

“The drug task force has mainly operated on what they call ‘Byrne JAG funds.’ That comes from the federal government, and then those federal funds are issued to the state of Washington and to the Washington State Department of Commerce,” Sheriff Morrison explained how the CRDTF typically receives its funding and why he’s been concerned as of late. “In the past, they have issued those funds out to drug task forces across the state. Most recently, starting last year, they took those funds and they reallocated them onto other projects. It was disturbing because there was no alternative provided to continuing to fund these drug task forces that are specifically set up to address, among other things, drug activities within communities.” 

The CRDTF is an organization consisting of members from the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Wenatchee Police Department, East Wenatchee Police Department, Washington State Department of Corrections (WSDOC), and Homeland Security Investigations. Working in unison with these agencies, the CRDTF aims to dismantle and prosecute criminal organizations engaged in drug trafficking and other illicit activities. 

Though much of the CRDTF’s operations include criminal investigations and seizures, Sheriff Morrison demonstrated an understanding that simply making arrests and targeting individuals will not solve any drug problems as he elaborated on WSDOC’s crucial role within the task force.

“I don’t expect that we’re going to arrest our way out of this problem. We have the Washington State Department of Corrections included in our team that means we’re also looking at rehabilitation, we work with recovery navigators… we’ve been working with the state. Earlier in 2023, we were there as Governor Inslee was in town along with Attorney General Ferguson trying to figure out how we can secure funding for a new drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility,” Morrison reported optimistically.

In attempting to tackle drug problems in the region’s communities, Sheriff Morrison expresses his concerns for community members who suffer from drug addiction as he hopes to revitalize the county’s drug court and utilize it as a tool of helping those with drug charges find support options. 

“I’ve been working hand-in-hand with our judges and our prosecutors office, all trying to make sure we’re getting this drug court back up and running, and providing alternatives to these individuals who I don’t view as the darkness of society,” he shared. “I see them as people who are struggling with addiction, and we want to find solutions for them. And I think the drug court has that option.” 

As state funding for drug task forces has staggered in the last year, the CRDTF gathered with other drug task forces in Ellensburg, addressing the Washington State Department of Commerce with their concerns relating to Commerce’s divergence of drug task force funding into other projects. This address and the expressed concerns of law enforcement around the state prompted the recent $150,000 in grant funding, which Sheriff Morrison worries will not be enough to sustain the CRDTF. 

“If we don’t get funding from Byrne JAG and the HIDTA (high-intensity drug trafficking areas) program, the drug task force will go away. And there’ll be no resources out there to focus specifically on this issue, which is killing members of our community,” Morrison explained with certainty.

Though the CRDTF is somewhat desperate for outside funding, Sheriff Morrison remains confident that the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office and its regional partners will continue to confront drug problems within their communities regardless of the drug task force’s ability to receive adequate funding.

“When I came into office, we reworded our mission statement. And one of the lines you’ll see in the beginning states, ‘with the resources entrusted to us.’ So, I will utilize whatever resources we have to best address the needs of the citizens, be there for them, and be an adversary to those threats for our community.” 

Will Nilles: (509) 731-3211 or will@ward.media