IFPD & BCSO Merge Narcotics Units

Posted by Steve Roos in on 1:47 PM



Drugs Cash and Guns - they always seem to go together.
Since Bonneville County Sheriff Paul Wilde and I made a blood oath to cooperate 3+ years ago, we’ve joined forces on a number of ventures.  Our most recent collaboration combines our drug enforcement efforts.  Our narcotics officers already shared office space and resources, but we recently signed an agreement putting undercover officers under a single unit commander.

This makes sense on a couple of fronts. 

First, the drug dealers don’t just set up shop and work inside the Idaho Falls city limits.  Erasing this boundry makes it far easier to investigate cases.  Sharing information is easier said than done.  Actually working the cases together creates a spirit of teamwork and cooperative synergy that makes us much more effective as we follow the investigation to wherever it leads us.
Finally, it saves tax money by eliminating the need for two supervisors.  The Sheriff’s Office is providing the leadership for the narcotics commander and we’re providing the leadership on intelligence (Paul, I’m holding my tongue here). 
Neither of us has had a formal crime analyst and now we’re initiating a concept sometimes referred to as Intelligence Led Policing (more on this later), but freeing one of the supervisors has allowed us the resources to do this without spending more money.
Hollywood's depictions of competition and sometimes outright animosity among different law enforcement agencies is not always far skewed.  It happens more than it should.  As Rebecca likes to remind me, "Cops usually don’t suffer from a lack of ego and Cop leaders could write the book."  Hats off to Sheriff Wilde for his ability to work together for the good of the community.  Law enforcement is miles ahead if we can set aside our egos and cooperate.
In the meantime, druggies beware…