Organized Crime Narcotics Trafficking Enforcement Program. MENU TITLE: Narcotics Trafficking Prog. Fact Sheet Series: BJA Published: November 1995 4 pages 6652 bytes Bureau of Justice Assistance Fact Sheet November 1995 Organized Crime Narcotics Trafficking Enforcement Program Despite longstanding efforts to overcome organized crime narcotics trafficking, the enormous profits derived from these illicit activities make their control one of the greatest challenges facing American law enforcement personnel today. Developing successful cases against narcotics trafficking conspirators requires the effective use of investigative expertise and innovative techniques. Successful cases often result when skilled Federal, State, and local investigators and prosecutors combine their resources in planned and coordinated enforcement actions. Major conspiracies typically span jurisdictional boundaries, requiring multiple agencies to successfully investigate and prosecute offenders. Individual agencies often lack the capability to assemble and exchange intelligence about these conspiracies, allocate resources effectively, and coordinate enforcement efforts. Accordingly, in response to both the significant number of multijurisdictional narcotics trafficking conspiracies and the shortcomings of many law enforcement responses, the Organized Crime Narcotics (OCN) Program was created. The program was initially funded in late 1986 by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) of the U.S. Department of Justice, and was later awarded continuation funding. As a part of the BJA Discretionary Grant Program, the OCN Program awards funds and provides training and technical assistance to law enforcement agencies for the development and demonstration of promising OCN initiatives. Key Program Elements The goal of the OCN Program is to enhance the ability of Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies to move specifically targeted major conspirators through the processes of investigation, arrest, prosecution, and conviction. This goal is accomplished through shared management of resources and joint operational decisionmaking. The program employs two strategies: o Promotion of a multiagency enforcement response and prosecutorial plan that targets major narcotics trafficking conspiracies operating across multiple jurisdictions. o Establishment of a formal mechanism through which investigative and prosecutorial resources can be allocated, focused, and managed on a shared basis against targeted offenses and offenders. Critical to the success of the OCN Program is a management system that shares direction and administration of the joint law enforcement resources. Overall direction is shared equally by all participating law enforcement agencies, and decisions regarding operations and administration must be unanimously approved. Management system procedures are implemented in the following order: o Criteria are established to identify, select, and prioritize investigative targets. o Cases are assigned to initiate the investigation and subsequent prosecution. o For the duration of each case, the resources and skills required in the investigative and prosecutorial processes are identified, acquired, and assigned. o The OCN management system coordinates and monitors each case to ensure the proper timing of investigative and prosecutorial activities and to facilitate decisionmaking concerning case continuance, referral, redirection, and closure. Expected OCN Program results, in addition to successful investigation and prosecution of major multijurisdictional narcotics traffickers, include promotion of civil remedies; recovery of criminal assets; revocation of business licenses, corporate charters, and other certifications held by criminal enterprises; reduction of fractional and duplicative investigations and prosecutions; and cooperation and coordination of efforts with other related OCN and BJA-funded projects. Training and Technical Assistance In addition to funding the model demonstration projects, BJA also provides technical assistance and training workshops and seminars. The workshops and seminars are coordinated and conducted for BJA by the Institute for Intergovernmental Research (IIR) through the BJA-funded Center for Task Force Training (CenTF) Program. IIR is a nonprofit organization that specializes in law enforcement and criminal justice issues. CenTF offers a 3-day Multiagency Response Narcotics Workshop that provides management-level training for narcotics task force commanders, supervisors, and senior investigative personnel in the operation of a multiagency task force. Working together in small teams, participants conduct practical exercises in all aspects of a multi-agency response to criminal activity. Training includes: o Task force dynamics and interagency agreements. o Written policies and procedures. o Risk assessment. o Case management and use of confidential informants. o Raid management, problem solving, and practical exercises. In 1996, the Multiagency Response Narcotics Workshop will be offered as follows: May 6-8 -- Little Rock, AR August 26-28 -- Cleveland, OH October 21-23 -- Milwaukee, WI OCN Resource Publication The monograph Multijurisdictional Narcotics Enforcement Task Forces: Lessons Learned From the OCN Program Model has been prepared to assist Federal, State, and local law enforcement and prosecution agencies that are joining forces and sharing resources to combat multijurisdictional narcotics trafficking crimes. The monograph describes the steps necessary to successfully develop and implement a unique joint narcotics task force operation. Although only the OCN Program model is featured, the information presented should be useful to agencies conducting a wide range of multijurisdictional law enforcement efforts. A copy of this publication (NCJ 138852) can be obtained from the BJA Clearinghouse at the telephone number or address provided below. For Further Information For more information about the program or for registration information, contact: Institute for Intergovernmental Research 2888 Remington Green P.O. Box 12729 Tallahassee, FL 32317 Tel: 1-800-446-0912 or 1-904-385-0600 For other program information, contact: Bureau of Justice Assistance Clearinghouse P.O. Box 6000 Rockville, MD 20849-6000 Tel: 1-800-688-4252 Fax: 1-301-251-5212 Internet: look@ncjrs.aspensys.com U.S. Department of Justice Response Center Tel: 1-800-421-6770