Neighborhood Narcotics Unit
The Neighborhood Narcotics Unit works in conjunction with other deputies that are assigned to the Drug Enforcement Administration/Metro Narcotics Task Force and the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The Sheriff's Office drug squad serves all communities in the unincorporated county as well as within contract cities. They also work in cooperation with youth agencies' narcotics units to prevent duplication of investigations.
The concept behind the formation of the Neighborhood Drug Unit is to target and eradicate street level to mid-range dealers from local communities.
They work closely with the three patrol divisions and their respective Community Oriented Policing (COP) units. In this capacity the Neighborhood Unit provides equipment such as undercover vehicles and other technical devices to assist the COP officers. They also provide expertise in such areas as writing search warrants, doing controlled buys with confidential informants, and formulating viable raid plans. They have a single-purpose police canine, certified as a Narcotics Detector Dog, to assist in drug investigations.
The Neighborhood Unit also provides staffing to assist COP Officers in the successful completion of drug raids that rid the community of dangerous criminals and make neighborhoods safer for citizens.