THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, October 21, 1994 TAG: 9410210670
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B2 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
DATELINE: HERTFORD COUNTY LENGTH: Short : 29 lines
The Roanoke-Chowan Narcotics Task Force has been awarded a $250,000 state grant to continue operating in a five-county area. The legislative appropriation approved earlier this year by the General Assembly was to be divided among existing multijurisdictional drug task forces in 27 eastern North Carolina counties.
However, the Ahoskie-based unit is the only one still operating. Other drug task forces in Edenton, Elizabeth City and Dare County, among other places, have disbanded and were ineligible for the state money.
The Roanoke-Chowan task force has survived fiscal hard times by trimming its staff and seeking double contributions from the 17 towns and 5 counties it covers. Those include Northampton, Hertford, Gates, Bertie and Martin counties.
It also is one of the oldest drug task forces in eastern North Carolina and is now into its sixth year. It currently operates on a $400,000 budget.
The new funding will most likely go to hire more personnel, a task force spokesman said. by CNB