Feds Revamp Narcotics Enforcement Strategy
Jim Kouri, CPP
June 13, 2005
Despite longstanding efforts to overcome organized crime narcotics trafficking, the enormous profits derived from these illicit activities make their control one of the greatest challenges facing American law enforcement personnel today.
Developing successful cases against narcotics trafficking conspirators requires the effective use of investigative expertise and innovative techniques. Successful cases often result when skilled Federal, State, and local investigators and prosecutors combine their resources in planned and coordinated enforcement actions. Major conspiracies typically span jurisdictional boundaries, requiring multiple agencies to successfully investigate and prosecute offenders. Individual agencies often lack the capability to assemble and exchange intelligence about these conspiracies, allocate resources effectively, and coordinate enforcement efforts.
Accordingly, in response to both the significant number of multijurisdictional narcotics trafficking conspiracies and the shortcomings of many law enforcement responses, the Organized Crime Narcotics (OCN) Program was created. The program was initially funded in late by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) of the US Department of Justice, and was later awarded continuation funding. As a part of the BJA Discretionary Grant Program, the OCN Program awards funds and provides training and technical assistance to law enforcement agencies for the development and demonstration of promising OCN initiatives.
Key Program Elements
The goal of the OCN Program is to enhance the ability of Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies to move specifically targeted major conspirators through the processes of investigation, arrest, prosecution, and conviction. This goal is accomplished through shared management of resources and joint operational decisionmaking.
The program employs two strategies: Promotion of a multiagency enforcement response and prosecutorial plan that targets major narcotics trafficking conspiracies operating across multiple jurisdictions; And establishment of a formal mechanism through which investigative and prosecutorial resources can be allocated, focused, and managed on a shared basis against targeted offenses and offenders.
Critical to the success of the OCN Program is a management system that shares direction and administration of the joint law enforcement resources. Overall direction is shared equally by all participating law enforcement agencies, and decisions regarding operations and administration must be unanimously approved. Management system procedures are implemented in the following order:
Expected OCN Program results, in addition to successful investigation and prosecution of major multijurisdictional narcotics traffickers, include promotion of civil remedies; recovery of criminal assets; revocation of business licenses, corporate charters, and other certifications held by criminal enterprises; reduction of fractional and duplicative investigations and prosecutions; and cooperation and coordination of efforts with other related OCN and BJA-funded projects.
Sources: Us Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration, American Federation of Police, International Narcotics Enforcement Officers Association, National Association of Chiefs of Police
Jim Kouri, CPP is currently fifth vice-president of the National Association of Chiefs of Police. He's former chief at a New York City housing project in Washington Heights nicknamed "Crack City" by reporters covering the drug war in the 1980s. In addition, he served as director of public safety at a New Jersey university and director of security for several major organizations. He's also served on the National Drug Task Force and trained police and security officers throughout the country. He writes for many police and crime magazines including Chief of Police, Police Times, The Narc Officer, Campus Law Enforcement Journal, and others. He's appeared as on-air commentator for over 100 TV and radio news and talk shows including Oprah, McLaughlin Report, CNN Headline News, MTV, Fox News, etc. His book Assume The Position is available at Amazon.Com, Booksamillion.com, and can be ordered at local bookstores. Kouri holds a bachelor of science in criminal justice and master of arts in public administration and he's a board certified protection professional.
Developing successful cases against narcotics trafficking conspirators requires the effective use of investigative expertise and innovative techniques. Successful cases often result when skilled Federal, State, and local investigators and prosecutors combine their resources in planned and coordinated enforcement actions. Major conspiracies typically span jurisdictional boundaries, requiring multiple agencies to successfully investigate and prosecute offenders. Individual agencies often lack the capability to assemble and exchange intelligence about these conspiracies, allocate resources effectively, and coordinate enforcement efforts.
Accordingly, in response to both the significant number of multijurisdictional narcotics trafficking conspiracies and the shortcomings of many law enforcement responses, the Organized Crime Narcotics (OCN) Program was created. The program was initially funded in late by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) of the US Department of Justice, and was later awarded continuation funding. As a part of the BJA Discretionary Grant Program, the OCN Program awards funds and provides training and technical assistance to law enforcement agencies for the development and demonstration of promising OCN initiatives.
Key Program Elements
The goal of the OCN Program is to enhance the ability of Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies to move specifically targeted major conspirators through the processes of investigation, arrest, prosecution, and conviction. This goal is accomplished through shared management of resources and joint operational decisionmaking.
The program employs two strategies: Promotion of a multiagency enforcement response and prosecutorial plan that targets major narcotics trafficking conspiracies operating across multiple jurisdictions; And establishment of a formal mechanism through which investigative and prosecutorial resources can be allocated, focused, and managed on a shared basis against targeted offenses and offenders.
Critical to the success of the OCN Program is a management system that shares direction and administration of the joint law enforcement resources. Overall direction is shared equally by all participating law enforcement agencies, and decisions regarding operations and administration must be unanimously approved. Management system procedures are implemented in the following order:
- Criteria are established to identify, select, and prioritize investigative targets.
- Cases are assigned to initiate the investigation and subsequent prosecution.
- For the duration of each case, the resources and skills required in the investigative and prosecutorial processes are identified, acquired, and assigned.
- The OCN management system coordinates and monitors each case to ensure the proper timing of investigative and prosecutorial activities and to facilitate decisionmaking concerning case continuance, referral, redirection, and closure.
Expected OCN Program results, in addition to successful investigation and prosecution of major multijurisdictional narcotics traffickers, include promotion of civil remedies; recovery of criminal assets; revocation of business licenses, corporate charters, and other certifications held by criminal enterprises; reduction of fractional and duplicative investigations and prosecutions; and cooperation and coordination of efforts with other related OCN and BJA-funded projects.
Sources: Us Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration, American Federation of Police, International Narcotics Enforcement Officers Association, National Association of Chiefs of Police
Jim Kouri, CPP is currently fifth vice-president of the National Association of Chiefs of Police. He's former chief at a New York City housing project in Washington Heights nicknamed "Crack City" by reporters covering the drug war in the 1980s. In addition, he served as director of public safety at a New Jersey university and director of security for several major organizations. He's also served on the National Drug Task Force and trained police and security officers throughout the country. He writes for many police and crime magazines including Chief of Police, Police Times, The Narc Officer, Campus Law Enforcement Journal, and others. He's appeared as on-air commentator for over 100 TV and radio news and talk shows including Oprah, McLaughlin Report, CNN Headline News, MTV, Fox News, etc. His book Assume The Position is available at Amazon.Com, Booksamillion.com, and can be ordered at local bookstores. Kouri holds a bachelor of science in criminal justice and master of arts in public administration and he's a board certified protection professional.
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