PEORIA — After nearly an hour of closed-door discussions Tuesday, the undercover drug unit P-MEG will continue, says its board of directors, thanks to increased "cooperation from some member agencies."
Dustin Sutton, the Peoria Heights police chief and the head of the board for the Peoria Multi-County Narcotics Enforcement Group, said the meeting, about a month after one that called the group's existence into doubt, was a positive one. The member agencies, he said, had agreed to increase their cooperation and supply additional agents to the covert group. However, he wouldn't say how many could be added. Nor would he say how many agents were left operating within P-MEG, citing concern for officer safety.
The additional help, he said, would come within the next three to six months. Dues for the member agencies, he said, was not slated to increase.
Last month, the group's status was in doubt. Declining participation by various departments has left the unit with fewer people to pursue drug cases.
Police departments and sheriff's offices in Peoria, Tazewell, Woodford and Knox counties contribute both money and, at times, manpower to the group which undertakes undercover drug operations. The Illinois State Police also is a member agency. Tazewell County Sheriff Robert Huston and Peoria County Sheriff Brian Asbell say their offices are among the few that contribute an officer or deputy. The state police also contributes a person.
Asbell said he was firmly supportive of the unit but also believed that with tightening budgets, he and others had to weight their priorities. He also said that for his office, which runs a jail, there were other factors of drug-fighting that don't involve search warrants or raids. Treatment is a big factor with him.
"Out at the jail, we have a lot of people who are going through withdrawals, so that is a factor in determining our priorities," he said.
Huston agreed, noting his office has had a deputy assigned throughout the years. He says with the additional help, the undercover team should be working at a higher level soon.
Bartonville Police Chief Brian Fengel also agreed, but said P-MEG must change with the times, and that might mean changes to how the unit operates. It's too early to tell, as the additional agents haven't been added.
The board will meet again in March to hash out more details.
Andy Kravetz can be reached at 686-3283 or akravetz@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @andykravetz.