07.15.14

Hoeven Calls for Additional Drug Enforcement Agents in Western North Dakota

WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven today called on the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) to better support local and state officials in fighting drug crimes and to provide additional DEA agents to help investigate drug cases in western North Dakota.

“We have been in contact with the North Dakota Attorney General, as well as local law enforcement officials, to determine how to best help them to keep our communities safe. They indicated that we need more DEA agents,” said Hoeven. “That’s why we’re requesting that DEA station additional agents in North Dakota to help us investigate drug crimes and prevent drugs from coming into the state.”

In a letter to DEA Administrator Michele Leonhart, Hoeven pressed for additional support for local communities in light of new crime statistics showing an increase in drug related activities. The senator pressed the agency to dedicate sufficient resources to fight North Dakota’s drug crimes.

The full text of the letter is below:

Michele M. Leonhart

Administrator

Drug Enforcement Administration

U.S. Department of Justice

8701 Morrissette Drive

Springfield, VA 22152

Dear Administrator Leonhart:

The White House’s National Drug Control Strategy and the new crime statistics from the North Dakota Attorney General’s Office show an increase in drug crime in North Dakota. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) needs to do all it can to work with local, state and other federal officials to counter the increase in drug cases, including dedicating more fulltime DEA agents to western North Dakota.

According to crime statistics released today by the North Dakota Attorney General’s Office, drug crimes are up 19.5 percent over last year’s levels. Many of the drug cases involve significant quantities compared to prior years and include new and dangerous types of drugs. DEA has the expertise to help our local sheriffs and state agencies investigate drug crimes but unfortunately local officials believe they are not receiving adequate assistance from your organization.

It is critical that DEA dedicate sufficient staff, both fulltime and on a needed basis, to help investigate drug cases. This includes dedicating DEA agents on local narcotic taskforces in western North Dakota. I urge you to work with local and state officials to get DEA agents into the field as soon as possible.