Contact: Shana Stribling 202.224.0309 Tom Schulte 573.334.7044
Monday, November 10, 2003

WASHINGTON, DC Senator Kit Bond today announced that 60 Missouri law enforcement agencies and task forces will receive more than $3 million in federal funds to fight the meth trade that is ravaging the State.

“Unfortunately, Missouri is the methamphetamine capital of the United States,” said Bond, who secured the $3 million for MOSMART. “These dollars will help us continue to fight the infiltration of this terrible drug in our state.”

The $3,274,320 in Department of Justice funds will be distributed by a bipartisan panel of Missouri sheriffs to county sheriffs' departments and rural drug task forces (list attached) as part of the Missouri Sheriffs Methamphetamine Relief Team (MOSMART). These funds may be used for personnel training, equipment, and prevention initiatives in the fight against clandestine methamphetamine laboratories.

"MOSMART has proven to be the single biggest tool rural law enforcement has in our fight against methamphetamine," stated Clinton "Butter" Reeves, Sheriff of Shannon County. "Missouri sheriffs' departments and drug task forces are grateful for Senator Bond's commitment to our efforts by acquiring these badly-needed federal funds."

Missouri earned the sad distinction as meth capital because of its location in the middle of the country, rural makeup dotted with small towns, and the number of interstate highways crisscrossing the state. These factors caused the state to become a draw for methamphetamine cookers, distributors, dealers, and smugglers.

Recognizing the severity of the drug problem, Bond has worked to boost federal and state cooperation in the fight against the meth trade in Missouri. In 2000 Bond worked to establish MOSMART in cooperation with Missouri sheriffs and regional task forces to fight the growing problem. Because of Bond’s efforts, several Missouri sheriffs' departments and regional drug task forces have received nearly $7 million to combat meth.

MOSMART currently has 62 contracted agencies. This includes 16 regional drug task forces and 46 sheriffs' Departments. With the help of MOSMART resources, during the first six months of 2003, there were 1,259 methamphetamine labs seized and 2,697 individuals arrested for either manufacturing, attempting to manufacture, or possession of methamphetamine.

Also, Bond recently announced that he secured the Senate Appropriations Committee's approval for an additional $2.5 million for MOSMART in the fiscal year 2004 Commerce, State, Justice bill.

Kit Bond is Missouri’s senior Senator and is now in his third term after having served the state previously during two terms as Governor.

AGENCIES AWARDED THROUGH THE MOSMART PROJECT YEAR 2004

Andrew County Sheriff's Office $ 42,478.00

Bootheel Drug Task Force $ 80,968.00

Audrain County Sheriff's Office $ 40,900.00

C.O.M.E.T. Drug Task Force $ 82,114.00

Barry County Sheriff's Office $ 46,601.00

East Central Drug Task Force $ 99,751.00

Bollinger County Sheriff's Office $ 33,508.00

Jasper County Drug Task Force $ 100,000.00

Camden County Sheriff's Office $ 34,648.00

Jefferson County/Municipal $ 100,000.00

Carter County Sheriff's Office $ 40,439.00

Lafayette County Narcotics Unit $ 54,877.00

Chariton County Sheriff's Office $ 49,750.00

Lake Area Narcotics Enforcement Group $ 76,238.00

Christian County Sheriff's Office $ 50,000.00

Mid MO Multi-Jurisdictional Task Force $ 99,988.00

Douglas County Sheriff's Office $ 41,993.00

Mineral Area Drug Task Force $ 70,293.00

Franklin County Sheriff's Office $ 50,000.00

North Central Missouri Drug Task Force $ 91,660.00

Gasconade County Sheriff's Office $ 42,011.00

North Missouri Drug Task Force $ 94,114.00

Greene County Sheriff's Office $ 41,264.00

Northeast Missouri Narcotics Task Force $ 96,611.00

Grundy County Sheriff's Office $ 38,724.00

Pulaski County Drug Task Force $ 49,737.00

Howell County Sheriff's Office $ 49,990.00

South Central Drug Task Force $ 95,241.00

Iron County Sheriff's Office $ 37,123.00

Southeast Missouri Drug Task Force $ 72,960.00

Jefferson County Sheriff's Office $ 49,816.00

Southwest Missouri Drug Task Force $ 80,445.00

Johnson County Sheriff's Office $ 40,720.00

St. Charles County Drug Task Force $ 70,853.00

Laclede County Sheriff's Office $ 39,148.00

West Central Missouri Drug Task Force $ 63,425.00

Lincoln County Sheriff's Office $ 47,483.00

Macon County Sheriff's Office $ 8,071.00

Madison County Sheriff's Office $ 48,800.00

Moniteau County Sheriff's Office $ 49,997.00

Montgomery County Sheriff's Office $ 35,547.00

Morgan County Sheriff's Office $ 44,348.00

Newton County Sheriff's Office $ 50,000.00

Ozark County Sheriff's Office $ 41,069.00

Perry County Sheriff's Office $ 48,434.00

Pettis County Sheriff's Office $ 31,572.00

Phelps County Sheriff's Office $ 35,373.00

Polk County Sheriff's Office $ 37,939.00

Reynolds County Sheriff's Office $ 46,497.00

Ripley County Sheriff's Office $ 48,355.00

Scott County Sheriff's Office $ 49,632.00

Shannon County Sheriff's Office $ 39,089.00

Ste. Genevieve Co. Sheriff's Office $ 47,005.00

St. Francois County Sheriff's Office $ 49,850.00

Stoddard County Sheriff's Office $ 44,156.00

Stone County Sheriff's Office $ 29,889.00

Texas County Sheriff's Office $ 49,762.00

Vernon County Sheriff's Office $ 49,989.00

Warren County Sheriff's Office $ 49,900.00

Wayne County Sheriff's Office $ 43,175.00

TOTAL AWARDED FOR 2004 $ 3,274,320.00