PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Lawmen statewide fear a proposal to cut more than two dozen Oregon State Police detectives from regional drug task forces will pull desperately-needed resources from their razor-thin budgets.
While the stated mission of the teams is to disrupt drug trafficking, detectives in small, rural areas end up handling much of the regular police work.
Oregon state Sen. Jackie Winters says the proposal from the state police to pull the detectives is “very realistic,” and would be the cut that would least affect public safety.
But sheriffs and police officials say they may have to close the drug teams without state police participation.
