Rock County seeks federal help with drug crime
Podcast Episode
WCLO's Stan Stricker reports on Rock County Sheriff's request for federal help in fight against drug crimes
Photo 
Robert Spoden
Rock County is facing drug-trafficking challenges and needs the federal government’s help.
That’s the gist of a letter that sens. Herb Kohl and Russ Feingold sent to the Office of National Drug Control Policy on Tuesday.
The senators were acting on a request from Rock County Sheriff Bob Spoden.
Spoden had applied to become a part of the Milwaukee High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, a federal program, but was turned down, to his surprise.
Spoden said he met with the senators and gathered more data on the local drug/violence problem. The result was Tuesday’s letter.
The letter cites the county’s central location between drug traffickers in nearby big cities and the recent increase in heroin infiltrating the area, along with an upsurge in violent crime.
“Rock County has experienced a significant increase in crime in 2009 that cannot be ignored,” the letter states. “Rock County has experience at least 12 heroin overdose deaths this year … and the county is on pace to see a 35 percent increase in drug related arrests this year alone. …
“Law enforcement authorities in Rock County report that at least eight gangs have been identified as trafficking crack cocaine and/or heroin within the county and commit violent crimes in order to protect their drug operations.”
Spoden said Kenosha, Racine and Dane counties are part of the Milwaukee-based effort. If Rock County joined the group, it would be eligible for:
-- Overtime funding of $5,000 to $6,000 a year for drug raids.
-- Access to surveillance equipment.
-- Free training for local officers.
-- Access to officers from other counties’ law-enforcement agencies for special operations.
-- Access to intelligence analysts as well as federal law enforcement databases, photos from the Federal Bureau of Prisons and ready-made relations with other High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas, such as the one based in Chicago.
Local officers already can access some of that federal data, but the designation would streamline the process, Spoden said.
Police departments in the county would benefit similarly, Spoden said.
The feds also would benefit: “We would be able to provide them a lot of street-level intelligence that would be of benefit to them and other members of the HIDTA,” Spoden said.
Spoden said the federal overseer of the Milwaukee HIDTA approached Spoden about 18 months ago, asking if Rock County would like to join, and Rock County has done some limited work with the Milwaukee-based group.
“We were surprised when we didn’t get it, candidly speaking, and that’s when I contacted the senators and had them review it,” Spoden said.
Oct 9, 2009 at 5:50 p.m.
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yer comment makes no sense nikki...no offense. how many dealers do you really think are addicts?? duh. every dealer knows you 'dont get high on your own supply'...and theyre lettin em out to work for them making 'controlled buys'....ughhh hello nikki...this is the real world...are you there??
Oct 9, 2009 at 5:12 p.m.
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maybe if they would quit letting the drug dealers back on the streets we wouldnt have these problems the only reason they let them back out is because these people are now working for the police and doing what they call "controlled buys" news flash, it doesnt solve the problem when you let them back out! especially the addicts who do the cities controlled buys!
Oct 9, 2009 at 1:20 p.m.
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you all can help end the prohition on marijuana, starting with medical usage. the jacki rickert medical marijuana act was introduced by rep mark pocan and is being circulated for co-sponsors. go to this link PLEASE and enter your info, an auto email will be sent to your rep telling them you support a DOCTORS right to prescribe MEDICINE and that you want them to support it too!! click here and then forward to anyone you know who doesnt think its fair for dieing american citizens to be denied a better quality of life as they go...
http://capwiz.com/norml2/issues/alert/?a......
to the blind: dont look now but LEGALIZED marijuana IS NOT FAR OFF.
Oct 9, 2009 at 11:48 a.m.
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Why don't they fix the drunk driving laws first? DUI seems to be a much more serious problem in the ENTIRE state of Wisconsin than drugs are! Is it crazy for me to think that drunk driving is a much larger and more immediate threat to your family and friends in Wisco than drugs are?
Oct 9, 2009 at 11:41 a.m.
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It is funny to me that any article dealing with local governmental agencies always comes around to complaining about taxes. Yes taxes are going up but also with those raises in taxes we get the benefit of the services we all appreciate. If the taxes stop going up - the services will eventually have to be reduced and then everyone will be complaining about our safety, our snow covered roads, our children's education, blah blah blah! No one is ever happy. Drugs (and gangs) are a problem in Rock County and something needs to be done about it before it gets worse!
Oct 9, 2009 at 11:38 a.m.
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I'm curious: What is the OFFICIAL definition of a drug "problem"? Not being sarcastic here; but we should have a 'measure' of what constitutes a 'problem', so we know what to attack, and if a particular strategy has been successful.
Oct 9, 2009 at 11:12 a.m.
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Our laws must change or all the police in the country won't help. They put them behind bars and our courts let them out. You get more jail time by not paying your child support! If we as citizens want it to change so the drug dealers are stopped and put away for good we have to take steps to change the laws in this state and most of the country. These people are killing our children, husbands, mothers, sons, daughters, wives, fathers, get the picture! We need to stop it ASAP! NO MERCY! NO EXCUSES!! We need to get rid of them!
Oct 9, 2009 at 10:54 a.m.
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Hooters: You're exactly right. We need to put an end to this ramping up of law enforcement that just leads to higher and higher taxes (and less and less freedom).
Oct 9, 2009 at 10:38 a.m.
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Lily white? You need to get out more.
Oct 9, 2009 at 9:34 a.m.
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...." Last I heard there were no gangs in JVL and the drug problem wasnt anything out of the ordinary"
mymaro,
That was before someone figured out that they would be eligable for funding if they said we have a problem with gangs & drugs here in lilly white janvesville!
Oct 9, 2009 at 9:22 a.m.
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I'm glad none of you have drug houses across the street. Unfortunately, I do. I value my family's safety, so I welcome this money.
Oct 8, 2009 at 11:41 p.m.
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But the cops LOVE the overtime!
Oct 8, 2009 at 11:40 p.m.
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This would be hilarious if it wasn't so sad. Let's just keep throwing dollar after dollar at it hoping that it will go away. It's nothing but self-preservation for every police Dept. that get funds. The police I have talked to quietly acknowledge that is a waste of time and money. It hasn't worked in 35 years and it ain't gonna work in the next 35 years. A blind guy could see this with the end of his cane.
Oct 8, 2009 at 10:51 p.m.
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a gang problem well i thought that was over with when they sent all those young minorities and white male tag alongs to prison back in the 90s. i thought that solved the big problem in boring janesville. lol please a gang and drug problem everbody is just bored and aint got nothing to do. legalize marijuana outlaw the rest then maybe these young and old white males will stop trying to kill themselves. the sheriff should consult some psychologists and drug counslers seriously. the counslers are for the addicts not the sheriff
Oct 8, 2009 at 5:28 p.m.
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mymaro, you're misquoting Dave Moore from two years back. Since then we've had numerous serious incidents.
http://gazettextra.com/news/2007/nov/30/...
http://gazettextra.com/news/2008/feb/03/...
http://gazettextra.com/news/2009/feb/01/...
http://gazettextra.com/news/2009/may/27/...
...etc.
Oct 8, 2009 at 5:26 p.m.
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Last year this same person said their "WASN'T" a DRUG & GANG problem in JANESVILLE! Did i miss something,or wasn't he listening to the people of Janesville. Do we have the right person doing the job,when most of us in this town know what's going on, BUT the ones protecting us???
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