Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — The Routt County Board of Commissioners approved on Tuesday an $11,000 contribution to the Routt County Sheriff's Office. The money will fund a regional drug-enforcement task force.

The money will supplement the Greater Routt and Moffat Narcotics Enforcement Team's budget. Several unexpected grant cuts left GRAMNET short $44,000.

The budget shortfall now has been met with $11,000 contributions from each of the four agencies that make up GRAMNET -- the Craig Police Department, the Steamboat Springs Police Department, the Moffat County Sheriff's Office and the Routt County Sheriff's Office.

Routt County Sheriff John Warner said he requested the money from county commissioners in December.

"All four of our agencies found the money for the budget. GRAMNET will continue on," Warner said.

Warner said the money will be given to GRAMNET in October and will cover the last three months of 2006 and through October 2007.

The Routt County Sheriff's Office was the last agency to get approval for the money.

In related business, county commissioners approved a request from Warner to purchase five Taser guns for his deputies.

Warner said the request was a capital expenditure request, not a supplemental request, meaning Warner will purchase the Tasers using his existing budget.

Warner said each Taser costs about $1,500.

Warner purchased about 15 Tasers last year for jail staff and patrol deputies, but more guns are needed.

"We recognized that several of our officers that were moving inmates from the jail to the courthouse were not armed," he said.

Warner said all patrol deputies, sergeants, jail staff and Routt County Court staff will carry Tasers.