Numerous events coming soon to calendar in Duncan

Federal belt tightening could put a squeeze on efforts by local law enforcement agencies to catch drug traffickers.

That concern was raised Thursday by District Six District Attorney Jason Hicks, who spoke at a breakfast gathering at the Simmons Center in Duncan organized by the Duncan Chamber of Commerce. He said prosecutors in Stephens County and elsewhere are concerned and watching to see what happens next in regard to federal spending.

Hicks said crime in general has been on the rise and extra federal dollars are important to local law enforcement efforts. As an example, he said officers in his district participated recently in an interdiction effort that ended in several arrests of drug trafficking suspects and seizure of significant amounts of marijuana and cash used to make drug transactions.

"They (such orchestrated efforts) are very effective," the district attorney said. "I'm a little nervous to see how sequestration may effect the task force."

Read on the Daily Edition...