Governor Paul LePage Moves Ahead with Hiring New Maine Drug Enforcement Agents as Promised.

Governor Takes Action to Address Maine's Heroin Crisis

12/09/2015 12:51 PM EST

 AUGUSTA - Governor Paul R. LePage today took action signing a financial order to authorize the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency to hire 10 drug agents to help combat Maine's drug pandemic.

Please see the attached letter attached letter and financial order  delivered Wednesday to Senate President Michael Thibodeau and Legislative leadership.

Maine Governor LePage Plans to Increase MDEA Numbers With or Without Legistature's Help.

We cannot wait any longer to fight drug dealers
Heroin is raging in our state, and it is killing Mainers every week. We need less talk on this deadly pandemic and more action.
Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage
Everyone agrees Maine’s heroin problem has escalated into a public health crisis. But politicians differ on how to handle it.
My administration is focused right now on attacking the supply side of the problem. We need more law enforcement officials on the streets, hunting down drug dealers and stopping them from selling poison in our state. However, as we have said repeatedly, we are not looking to arrest drug addicts. We are going after the organized drug dealers who run these illegal operations like a very profitable business. We need to shut them down wherever we can.
We absolutely agree that more treatment, education and recovery efforts are needed. If the Legislature wants to create a comprehensive plan to increase both law enforcement and treatment, we welcome it. The Legislature has the ability to prioritize funding for this comprehensive plan when they go through the budget. Unfortunately, like everything else the Legislature does, it will take a long time to come up with the plan—and even longer to implement it.
We can’t stand by and watch Mainer after Mainer die from heroin or other lethal opiates while the Legislature is mulling over their plan.
As Maine is plagued  with the worst drug epidemic in history, MDEA is shortest staff than ever.  We first proposed 14 new agents in March 2014, but the Legislature only approved 4 new drug enforcement agents in July. That’s not enough. We need to build a pipeline for hiring and training new agents so as some are hitting the streets, more are coming in for training. But the Legislature has delayed these law enforcement efforts for a year-and-a-half. As the drug crisis is rapidly accelerating, we are falling behind in resources to stop the supply.
The Legislature can determine the timeline for funding the new agents. I just need to know they are serious about creating these positions no later than Jan. 2016. But if they continue to stall and wait around for an unspecified plan to increase treatment, I will move ahead without them. As they contemplate how to create a plan, Mainers are literally dropping dead.
If they have not informed me by December 10 that they are planning to fund these new agents, I will take action.  That’s why I will use every resource available to me to fight these drug traffickers, including temporary support from the National Guard.
Every life is worth saving, and we will do whatever is necessary to prevent the death of one more Mainer.

State Drug Agents Making Record Number of Drug Arrests

 

AUGUSTA – After an alarming increase of drug-related arrests during the past week, including a major bust in the Capitol City, Governor Paul R. LePage is praising the work of the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency (MDEA) saying their work is critical to curbing the pandemic plaguing the State.
MDEA agents have made twenty heroin related arrests since Monday, October 26, and agents and the State Medical Examiner’s Office report nine suspected heroin overdose deaths in the same period.
“I commend MDEA and local law enforcement for getting these drugs off our streets,” said Governor LePage. “The work they are doing is critical to curbing a pandemic we have on our hands—a pandemic that lawmakers are ignoring. One of the biggest drug busts we have seen in years occurred just this week in Augusta at the Senator Inn where many legislators stay during session. Seven people were arrested after drug agents seized lethal amounts of crack and heroin, all of which would have gone out on our streets. But legislators still refuse to give our law enforcement agencies the manpower they need.”
For years, Governor LePage has championed legislation to provide the MDEA with adequate resources to deal with Maine’s exploding drug issue. In 2014, he proposed a bill to provide the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency with 14 agent positions; add 4 new special drug prosecutors; and add 4 new judges to sit in enhanced drug courts. In 2015, legislators watered down the bill adding just 4 drug agents, 2 new prosecutors and 2 new judges.
“Five of the seven people arrested this week are from Augusta and New York City,” said Governor LePage. “This further illustrates the infiltration of out-of-state drug dealers coming into Maine. Our agents are doing everything they can to stop the dealers, but they need more help.”
Maine’s top drug agent says the rise in drug trafficking is causing an increased threat to public safety and health. “The Maine Chiefs of Police and the Maine Sheriffs have made it clear that local law enforcement officials desperately need more resources to fight the drug problem in our State,” said Roy McKinney, director of the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency.
Governor LePage has noted he will use executive authority to call upon assistance from the National Guard if the Legislature won’t make additional resources available to stop the flow of deadly drugs into Maine. The Governor has expressed interest in activating up to a dozen National Guard members who would support MDEA efforts.
“I am deeply concerned that we have people dying daily from suspected heroin overdoses and we continue to have out-of-state drug dealers entering our state. Repeatedly I have requested the Legislature to help, but they refuse to fully support the needs of the MDEA. If lawmakers won’t step up, then I will have no choice other than to ask the National Guard to help.”