Headlines

Budget Woes Kill Off Meth-Fighting Team

Tuesday, December 02, 2008

Bakersfield Californian (CA)

The law enforcement unit aimed at battling the methamphetamine problem in Kern County will soon be no more.

State budget cuts will force the California Multi-Jurisdictional Methamphetamine Enforcement Team to shut down Dec. 9. The team, also known as Cal-MMET, mainly targeted at stopping meth use and busting drug dealers.

ìUnfortunately, it is the way of the state budget woes,î said Chief Deputy Keith Nelson with the Kern County Sheriffís Department.

Funding for Cal-MMET has declined since the program started in 2001, Nelson said.

The original grant from the state for the programís first fiscal year was $1.4 million which helped to pay for equipment and salaries of Cal-MMET officers, according to Nelson. The unit is comprised of about a dozen members from the Kern County Sheriffís Department, the District Attorneyís Office, police and probation departments.

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