Ind. council approves fund for full-time narcotics officer

By Leann Burke
The Herald

JASPER, Ind. — Despite not being awarded a grant to fund a new police officer’s salary, Jasper will still get a full-time narcotics officer in 2018.

The police department planned to pay a portion of the narcotics officer’s salary with a Community Oriented Policing Services grant from the U.S. Department of Justice. Instead, the Common Council voted to use cigarette tax funds to cover the salary in 2018 at its meeting Wednesday after learning the Jasper Police Department did not receive the grant.

After 2018, the salary will be built into the police department’s budget. The officer will be dedicated solely to investigating drug-related crimes in Jasper and is one of two new officer positions the council approved at the 2017 budget hearing. The other position is for a detective.

Full Story: Council moves funds for narcotics officer