1994-021-RES WHEREAS, UNDER PROVISIONS OF THE ANTI-DRUG ABUSE ACT PUBLIC LAW 100-690

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The RCSAP is a multi-county, multi-agency task force based in northeast Texas in Lamar, Red River and Fannin counties bordering the Red River along the Texas-Oklahoma border. We have cooperative working agreements with Delta County to the south, and with McCurtain, Choctaw and Pushmataha Counties to the north in Oklahoma. The member counties cover over 2.889 square miles and have a combined population of over 83,070. The largest city in the area is Paris, with just over 26,000. The counties are mostly rural and with the exception of Delta County, cover a very large geographical area which is patrolled by relatively small law enforcement agencies. None of the local sheriff or police departments have the manpower or the funds to deal with the mounting drug problem in the area. None of those agencies have any personnel assigned strictly to handle narcotics cases. The federal agents which claim this area are at least 2 hours away and rarely make an appearance unless called in on a specific matter. Accordingly, without the aid of the task force (and now 2 DPS narcotics officers recently assigned here but who do not work undercover), narcotics trafficking would continue almost untouched. According to local law enforcement authorities, fully 80% of all crime in these areas involved drugs; whether it be the delivery, possession or manufacturing of controlled substance, thefts committed to pay for drugs, or crimes of violence involving some combination of the above. Due to its rural setting and limited law enforcement, this area is attractive to persons cultivating marihuana. So far this year, the task force has been involved in the seizure of over $5 million dollars worth of marihuana. Additionally, this area is in the "beltway" between the Dallas metroplex and Oklahoma. Many of the crooks we deal with have strong connections and sources of supply in Dallas and/or in Oklahoma. The area has likewise seen a significant increase in gang activity. Organized gangs are responsible for much of the communities' problems with drug abuse, thefts, and violent crimes. There have even been a rash of drive-by shootings and riot-type incidents. Sadly, the number of juvenile offenders has also increased. This project should not duplicate or overlap any existing law enforcement activities designed to fight the drug war. With the exception of DPS narcotics, none of the other agencies have the ability to conduct undercover operations or to infiltrate organized crime operations as the task force has done. Because the problem is so widespread, these two agencies have so farQ only complemented each other. With the addition of the interdictionJ community policing team, rural roads to Dallas and Oklahoma not otherwise patrolled by DPS can be covered and the officers can provide a visible law enforcement presence in those communities where there is no local police" The team will also provide a police presence in high drug traffic areas where the police don't have the manpower to devote to full-time diversion