By By JOHN EBY / Dowagiac Daily News
CASSOPOLIS - The City of Dowagiac and Cass County, through their joint drug team, are establishing a canine unit for narcotics searches.
County commissioners approved the $21,250 budget transfer on Thursday.
The Cass County Drug Enforcement Team (CCDET) set up shop in May 1999.
The joint venture first operated as a three-member team, but grew to five in 2005 thanks to last summer's passage of a half-mill for fighting drugs for four years.
Sheriff Joseph M. Underwood Jr. reported to the Board of Commissioners after the first quarter that the team had been "extremely active," with 71 charges resulting from 48 arrests.
Underwood and Dowagiac Police Chief Tom Atkinson met with their advisory board and "concur with the need to secure canine units for the City of Dowagiac and the Cass County Sheriff's Office."
The program would fund two canine handler positions by one-quarter costs each paid by the City of Dowagiac and the Sheriff's Office drug forfeiture accounts and half the costs paid from CCDET funds.
Commissioners, however, June 16 postponed creating a methamphetamine treatment program for the jail.
Commissioner Terri Kitchen, R-Silver Creek Township, made the motion to delay action on a $15,000 transfer from the county drug millage for a program Underwood would supervise.
Commissioner Johnie Rodebush, D-Howard Township, said, "As I look at this, it doesn't say when it will start, when it will stop, how many hours will be involved, whether an RFP - request for proposals - was sent out to take bids for this big of a project. I would agree to postpone action on it … I want to see something in writing and see what kind of bang we get for the buck. It's not spelled out.
Commissioner Minnie Warren, D-Pokagon Township, added, "I'd like to see someone contact Woodlands."