City of Gadsden forms new drug task force with plans for new prison

GADSDEN, Ala. (WBRC) – Gadsden Mayor Craig Ford plans to end the city's involvement in Etowah County Drug Task Force Unit. Mayor Ford says his new Drug Task Force will have more resources and more equipment to better serve the City of Gadsden.

“And as I said, some people in the county were disappointed that we were withdrawing from the drug task force. I was elected mayor of Gadsden, not Etowah County,” Ford says.

Speaking at Tuesday morning's City Council meeting at Gadsden State's manufacturing facility, the mayor reiterated his decision to disband the joint task force with the Etowah County Sheriff's Office.

“We are creating our own task force and will fight drugs and narcotics in our own community. We are using our own resources, including $300,000. We have fought crime in the county. We want to fight drugs and crime in the city of Gadsden with the tax dollars of the city of Gadsden,” says Ford.

Mayor Ford believes it makes sense for the city to have its own jail because those funds will benefit the Gadsden task force.

“We are also looking into building our own prison. We have received blueprints for it and are looking into the feasibility. But we have also partnered with another city that is giving us a deferred payment so that we can house our inmates for $15 less per night. That also saves us taxpayer money,” says Ford.

The mayor says he will continue to work with the county.

“The sheriff is a little disappointed that we are backing down, but I am disappointed that we funded the sheriff's drug task force. We will continue to work with the sheriff's office,” Ford said.

Etowah County Sheriff Jonathon Horton says his unit will continue to work on drug offenses and cases in all areas of Etowah County, including Gadsden.

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