By Spencer Bates

A new Drug Task Force within the Oswego City Police Department has been announced that will fight the increase of illegal drugs within the city. 

On Feb. 24 Oswego Mayor Billy Barlow announced that in order to repel the use of drugs such as heroin, methamphetamine, molly and others, a new task force was formed within the city’s police department. Barlow originally announced his desire for the creation of such a force in his State of the City address earlier in the year and has now allocated $250,000 towards the cause. 

According to a press release, a number of police officers currently within the force will be specifically designated to the force in order to “perform in-depth investigations, increase surveillance operations and other enforcement details.” 

The City of Oswego Police Department was formerly part of the Oswego County Drug Task Force whose goals were similar. However, this new force will be specifically focused on the use of drugs with the city and not the entire county. The new task force will continue to work alongside that of the county, but Barlow cited an increased need for attention on a smaller scale.

“City government will be devoting several Oswego Police officers and investigators, who know our community best, to comprise our own task force to achieve results quickly and to get a real handle on the increase in heroin, molly and other harmful drugs in our community,” Barlow said. “Creating our own task force to produce real results is a move long over-do, but I believe can be a game changer for the community.”

Barlow re-emphasized the need for the more centralized task force as he has been very aware of the increase in the use of drugs such as heroin and molly in the city. He also understands that the presence of drugs within the community is clear to the residents as well.

“You see needles on the ground, we know that there’s heroin throughout the community and actually being trafficked into the community,” Barlow said. “Molly is somewhat of a new drug that you’ve seen, we call them ‘tweakers’ on [Route] 104 by the east side Stewart’s and in that area particularly where if you drive through town after seven o’clock at night or before seven in the morning, you see these zombied people walking around and the whole point is, number one, get them help and number two, get the drugs off the streets … in terms of a community you can build, build, build in the downtown, you can make the waterfront as great as you want to make it, you can fix parks and new playgrounds and pave streets and lower taxes, but it’s all for not if you have drug addicts walking around downtown when you’re trying to be outside and enjoy the community.”

Chief of Oswego City Police, Phillip Cady, also said in a press release that there were several problems with the old task force. He believes that the new force will allow the officers who know the city best will be more equipped to handle drug related issues more efficiently.

“Historically, the drug task force has been understaffed and unable to manage multiple investigations consistently,” Cady said. “Creating this new unit, with proper staffing, will allow the department to focus on city investigations and known problems all while still working with our county partners. The allocated funding, provided by Mayor Barlow and the Common Council, will allow the purchase of much needed equipment and cover required staffing needs and I thank the Mayor and Council for their leadership and trust in the department on this issue.”

Previously this year Barlow and Cady both announced a complete restructuring of the Oswego City Police Department following negotiations with Lake City Police Club, Oswego’s police union. The restructuring of the contract will only benefit the efficiency of the drug task force as well

“It brings a 12-hour shift to the police force as opposed to an eight hour shift which … allows us to have more officers on shift at one time,” Barlow said. “It allows us the flexibility with those additional officers on shift at one time to do more quality of life patrols and, at the same time, allowed me to make the promotions.”

According to Barlow, despite being directly focussed on the policing of drugs within the community, the new task force will work and help the county task force without being a part of them explicitly. The force will also work with SUNY Oswego’s police department in the enforcement of getting drugs off the streets.

“Certainly our task force will work with all the other local police agencies and, quite frankly, we still have to work with the sheriffs at the county task force as well,” Barlow said. “We’ll be working closely with SUNY PD as we do on so many other issues as well.”

Chief of Oswego City Police, Phillip Cady, also said in a press release that there were several problems with the old task force. He believes that the new force will allow the officers who know the city best will be more equipped to handle drug related issues more efficiently.

“Historically, the drug task force has been understaffed and unable to manage multiple investigations consistently,” Cady said. “Creating this new unit, with proper staffing, will allow the department to focus on city investigations and known problems all while still working with our county partners. The allocated funding, provided by Mayor Barlow and the Common Council, will allow the purchase of much needed equipment and cover required staffing needs and I thank the Mayor and Council for their leadership and trust in the department on this issue.”

Previously this year Barlow and Cady both announced a complete restructuring of the Oswego City Police Department following negotiations with Lake City Police Club, Oswego’s police union. The restructuring of the contract will only benefit the efficiency of the drug task force as well.

“It brings a 12-hour shift to the police force as opposed to an eight hour shift which … allows us to have more officers on shift at one time,” Barlow said. “It allows us the flexibility with those additional officers on shift at one time to do more quality of life patrols and, at the same time, allowed me to make the promotions.”

According to Barlow, despite being directly focussed on the policing of drugs within the community, the new task force will work and help the county task force without being a part of them explicitly. The force will also work with SUNY Oswego’s police department in the enforcement of getting drugs off the streets.

“Certainly our task force will work with all the other local police agencies and, quite frankly, we still have to work with the sheriffs at the county task force as well,” Barlow said. “We’ll be working closely with SUNY PD as we do on so many other issues as well.”

Image via oswegony.org