Budget will impact narcotics control

Nevada lawmakers expressed concern Tuesday about staffing cuts proposed by Gov. Jim Gibbons that could hinder the state's ability to crack down on drug cartels and other criminal activity.

Scott Jackson, investigations chief at the state Department of Public Safety, told a joint Senate-Assembly budget subcommittee that his investigations division would lose nine positions if the governor's budget is approved.

Jackson plans to apply for federal stimulus money to keep those nine positions, which together would cost about $2.5 million to fund for three years. As part of the requirements for stimulus funding, the state would be required to fund those position for a fourth year.

The staffing cuts are "a real challenge for us," Jackson said, adding that he's hopeful that stimulus funds "will certainly relieve some of that pressure."

Sen. Bob Coffin, D-Las Vegas, said that he's worried about Mexican drug cartels operating in Southern Nevada, and stressed the importance of having detectives who speak Spanish. Jackson said that currently only three detectives in the investigations division speak Spanish.

Jackson added that the division relies on informants who speak Spanish. His team's goal is to infiltrate the cartels, which are typically hard to penetrate since they generally hire family members.

Jackson also said he already has confronted rifle-armed Mexican drug cartel members in Winnemucca and Carson City, who were growing marijuana.

"I think this is the greatest threat we face in the state," Coffin said, adding that language skills are essential for eavesdropping capability.

"We don't have it for the rural counties, and that's where they're going," Coffin said. "They need a little water and a lot of privacy, and that's what Nevada has to offer."

The idea that the state would have to fund the investigations division positions for a year after the stimulus funding expires prompted questions from Assemblyman Pete Goicoechea, R-Eureka.

"It just concerns me that we are contingent upon them getting those nine positions," Goicoechea said. "Otherwise, clearly this budget will fail."

Bernie Curtis, state parole-probation chief, told the budget panel that his department has 103 unfilled positions, 63 of which are sworn officers. Curtis said his department will apply for a federal grant money to fund 10 positions.

"Really, you're going to have to ask for what you need, not for what somebody says you should ask for, based upon a target budget number," Coffin said. "I'm really worried you're not asking for enough people."

In Las Vegas, there are four officers watching 2,100 of the lowest-level offenders. The recommended level is 100 cases per probation officer, but in Nevada each officer has over 500 cases.