Gadsden mayor withdraws city from county drug enforcement unit and plans its own task force

Gadsden Mayor Craig Ford claims the city has a drug problem and will terminate the contract with the Etowah County Drug Enforcement Unit and invest $300,000 in funding and salaries into the city's police department to create its own task force.

Details of the new task force are limited because GPD cannot continue until 60 days after the contract is terminated.

Mayor Ford said, “We have more experience and the equipment we need. My job is to take care of the taxpayers of Gadsden, and that's what I intend to do.”

Gadsden's contribution to the DEU includes two officers being transferred to the city's task force, a division of the existing street crimes unit.

SEE ALSO: Gadsden mayor wants to reallocate $300,000 from county drug enforcement to local task force

SEE ALSO: Fifth arrest made in connection with fatal shooting at Monarch Ridge Apartments

However, Etowah County Sheriff Jonathon Horton says it is not that simple: “Drugs know no borders and of course most cases are found in the larger cities because that is where Walmart is, that is where people meet. Regardless of whether they live in the rural parts of the county for their drug business or not.”

Horton also says the DEU will continue to operate in Gadsden and that having two separate units operating in the same area could be dangerous for officers and informants.

Both the mayor and the sheriff said the task force and the DEU will work together to get drugs off the streets in Gadsden.