The reduction in federal funding for the "Wing Drug Task Force" is starting to hit home. Scottsbluff Police Chief Alex Moreno, the chairman of the task force advisory board, says $64,000 in federal grant funds received for this fiscal year that have been earmarked for investigator salaries will be depleted in another month or so. Moreno says that means the task force will have to rely more than ever on local governments that passed resolutions of financial support in the past year to make up the difference and pay for investigator salaries through the remainder of the fiscal year.

Moreno notes Alliance is funding an officer on the task force with their own money and Hemingford, Broadwater and other communities have made donations to the group even though they don't have personnel in the group. Moreno says the Nebraska Crime Commission recently informed the task they will be receiving another $7,000 in discretionary funds, which will help with operational costs.

The task force also receives money from the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, which provides $59,000 as long as the task force remains operable. The task force has seven investigators.