Does no MONET mean no drug enforcement?
Mono County Sheriff’s Department is dissolving the Mono Narcotic Enforcement Team (MONET) specific deputy position due to budget cuts. The program is partially funded by state grants, which the Sheriff’s Department is transferring to the District Attorney’s office to continue the program.
Public Information Officer for the Mono County Sheriff’s Department Jennifer Hansen said the grant money from the state varies year to year. “For the last several years it’s been about $122,000,” she said. “Even with grant funds, because of the budget cuts, we can’t afford to run the program.”
Because of these budget cuts to the Sheriff Department “there is no way for us to meet the [grant] requirements,” Obenberger said. He made the decision to pull the MONET because of the Department’s overall budget that left him unable to fill deputy positions. The MONET officer will return to regular deputy rotation in order to fill this gap.
“The District Attorney’s office has taken over the MONET functions and the narcotic work in the county,” Obenberger said.
District Attorney Tim Kendall said, “The DA’s budget has taken over the grant and it will still be used in the County.” The DA’s office have investigators, sworn police officers, able to make arrests Previously the DAs office ran the administration and prosecution side of the program, while the Sheriff’s Department’s MONET officer ran the operational aspect of the program. “We’ve always been involved in MONET,” Kendall said.
“The dedicated MONET officer is being pulled out,” Kendall said. “But any deputy with the Sheriff’s Department is going to be available to my investigators.”
Sheriff-elect Ingrid Braun, who take office in January said, “I will look at what I can do to re-establish the MONET position. I think it’s an important part of the Sheriff’s Department and part of our responsibility to the community.”
Supervisor Tim Fesko said, “There is really no downside to this. We’re able to keep the money in Mono County. [Obenberger] is able to run his department the way he sees fit. It has allowed the DA to revamp some of his budget to reduce drain on the general fund.
