Narcotics Task Force Announced

In recent years the city of Sioux Falls has seen an increase of drug related crimes.

And now the new administration is taking steps to combat the issue.

Sioux Falls city leaders have announced a new crime unit aimed at cutting down on drug-related crime in the city.

According to KSFY TV Sioux Falls Mayor Paul TenHaken and Sioux Falls Police Chief Matt Burns have announced the creation of the Narcotics Crime Unit (NCU).

KSFY reports that the NCU will have two detectives who focus on drug enforcement. The unit will supplement the enforcement efforts of the Police Narcotics Section and the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force. These efforts by the NCU would free up narcotics detectives to prioritize their efforts to work larger drug trafficking cases to ultimately disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking organizations.

The report according to police finds that over the past several years, narcotics cases have steadily risen in Sioux Falls. From 2015 to 2017, there was a 24% increase in the number of drug cases, methamphetamine arrests went up 77% and methamphetamine distribution arrest numbers have gone up 62%.