Another potential budget victim: Drug crime patrol

City could save $107,765 but it would come at a cost

By Jeremy Pawloski | The Olympian • Published November 23, 2008

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OLYMPIA – In February 2005, Olympia police officer Matt Renschler helped investigate a case that led to the convictions of a man and woman who distributed heroin downtown.

By the numbers

The Thurston County Narcotics Task Force shared some of its statistics for 2008. Detective Matt Renschler said the task force doesn't usually seek publicity, but he fears that many in the public — and those in decision-making positions in the city — don't know about the work the task force does.

In 2008, the task force has seized:

• $591,185 worth of methamphetamine

• $207,945 worth of cocaine

• $3,836 worth of heroin

• $1.5 million worth of marijuana

• $23,412 worth of pharmaceuticals, such as OxyContin and Vicodin, that are illegal without a prescription

• 111 firearms

In 2008, the Thurston County Narcotics Task Force has worked 97 cases, including 17 drug seizures in which the task force was asked to assist with cases conducted by other police departments, Renschler said.
Council vote

The Olympia City Council is expected to pass its 2009 budget on Dec. 16, the last scheduled council meeting of the year.
About the task force

The Thurston County Narcotics Task Force has five detectives culled from the county's law enforcement agencies: one from the Olympia Police Department, two from the Thurston County Sheriff's Office, and one each from the Tumwater and Lacey police departments. The detectives investigate cases against drug dealers all over the county.

Danna Harbert said during an interrogation that she purchased three "eight balls" of heroin every day in Tacoma to sell in Olympia, according to the police report. An "eight-ball" is 3.5 grams. Harbert and Brian James later were convicted of dealing heroin.

The Olympia Police Department's cases against James and Harbert would not have been successful without the assistance of the Thurston County Narcotics Task Force, which provided an informant, a wire for audio recordings and extra detectives to conduct surveillance, Renschler said. But if proposed budget cuts in Olympia become a reality next year, the task force might no longer have a presence in Olympia — making it more difficult for the city to make cases against drug traffickers, he said.

Five detectives work on the task force, covering different territories in Thurston County. Renschler covers Olympia, a position that the city could eliminate to save $107,765. Renschler likely would be transferred back to walking patrol in Olympia if his current position is eliminated.

Because the Olympia Police Department does not have a narcotics bureau, "if you want to arrest people who are dealing drugs and manufacturing drugs, the Olympia Police Department's going to have significant difficulty making the cases" if the cuts are made, he said.

Scott Staples, owner of the 4th Ave. Tavern, said the work of Renschler and other officers in getting rid of drug dealers downtown was "invaluable" when he bought the bar four years ago.

"When we took the bar over, the influence was there, and it no longer is there," Staples said, adding that "it's not time to give it back to the drug dealers and drug users."

Lt. Loreli Thompson, the task force's commander, confirmed that the task force's executive board will reconsider its participation in Olympia if the city stops funding the position. It is premature to say what would happen until the position is eliminated, she said.

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