The Traverse Narcotics Team (TNT) is looking for more money from local governments to replace funding shortfalls.
Eight counties in northern Michigan, along with Traverse City, fund the drug taskforce. But TNT also gets money from federal grants and drug forfeitures.
Missaukee County sheriff Jim Bosscher says those sources are drying up.
“TNT is still a very viable entity and going,” Bosscher says. “It’s just more [expense] is going to be put back on the local entities because of those other shortfalls.”
Bosscher says TNT is seizing fewer assets since Michigan legalized medical marijuana.
He also says some of the federal grant money that TNT used to receive is now funding drug treatment programs instead of law enforcement.
“I’m not optimistic that there’s more funding from an outside source,” Bosscher says. “The funding source is going to have to come from each county. And we’re getting a good response you know so far from that.”
Benzie County passed a millage in November to pay for an officer to join the team.
The bulk of TNT’s funding comes from taxpayers in northern Michigan.