The $320,000 comes from the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs and is to be used for ongoing operations of the Talladega County Drug and Violent Crime Task Force. The task force is made up of officers from every law enforcement agency in the county and is led by Commander Jason Murray, who reports to District Attorney Steve Giddens. Its officers are on call 24 hours per day, seven days per week.
This grant, impressive as it is, provides about half the needed funds to operate the task force. The Talladega County Commission and the municipalities within the county provide the rest._We as a society have been fighting the use of illegal drugs for decades. At times, it seems an insurmountable task. But it is not. Just last week the Talladega County Task Force carried out an operation that resulted in more than 40 felony drug arrests, with another 20 or so individuals being sought for arrest as well.
Of course, arresting dealers and users won’t solve the problem. Reducing or eliminating the demand for the drugs is the only way that will absolutely stop the use of illegal and dangerous drugs. But that doesn’t mean efforts like the one last week should stop. In fact, it is all the more reason to keep it up.
If we can’t stop demand, we should at least get the dealers off the streets. Illicit drugs ruin lives. They do so by becoming vital to the everyday life of their victims. When that happens, judgment goes out the window and the addicts will steal, rob, or do whatever it takes to feed the habit. Unfortunately, there will be those ready and willing to provide the drugs. This grant can and will slow down that part of the drug trade, and anything that disrupts the vicious cycle is welcomed.
We commend DA Giddens and Commander Murray for their work and the state grant they have acquired to help finance what they do. And we commend the various law enforcement jurisdictions in Talladega County that cooperate with the task force.
The dealers pay no attention to city limits or political boundaries. Thanks to this task force, and the support it receives from both local and state sources, the law enforcement effort is not limited by those boundaries either.
