The colorado state patrol smuggling trafficking and interdiction section task force is committed to reducing the amount of criminal activity on all colorado highways and state roads by disrupting…

The colorado state patrol smuggling trafficking and interdiction section task force is committed to reducing the amount of criminal activity on all colorado highways and state roads by disrupting and dismantling drug trafficking organizations confiscating illegal drugs and proceeds apprehending fugitives and cooperating with enforcement task forces and sharing intelligence with partner law enforcement agencies at the national tribal state and local levels. The stis task force is a unit within the criminal investigations branch. The stis task force officers of the colorado state patrol dedicate approximately 80 percent of their time to drug interdiction and 20 percent of their time is for regular patrol responsibilities in support of district troops. The CSP intelligence driven corridor projects target specific drug intelligence groups along the major pipelines within colorado such as interstate 70 interstate 25 and interstate 76 as well as other well known drug corridors. Our goal is to educate investigate and promote interdiction activities throughout the state not only within CSP but also with our local and federal partners. These efforts have increased the number of drug seizures investigations and the identification of drug trafficking organizations within the criminal interdiction team and within the CSP field sections. The stis task force criminal analyst compiles our performance metrics providing output results compared to earlier years as we strive to maintain our highest performance to support the hidta interdiction initiative.CSP plans to continue to utilize the entire stis task force K9 handlers and troopers to maximize the success of our saturation project. The stis task force budget continues to undergo significant reductions and therefore we are requesting hidta funds to include the total of 22 stis task force officers stis tfos. The stis task force SFY24 totals only $45 530 a $48 600 cut since FY21. We do not foresee the stis operational budget to increase in the near future. Due to the vast increase in criminal interdiction seizures over the past five years (from the K9 handlers stis task force officers and field troopers throughout colorado) the SFY25 budget will be inadequate to support comprehensive investigations as they all work towards the hidta mission. On occasion K9 handlers have also had to go without critical resources in order to meet yearly requirements set forth by the colorado police canine association cpca national police canine association npca travel training and supplies annually averaging $17 000 per K9 and handler. In turn this again has adverse effects on the overall capability of the K9S and their ability to fully contribute to the hidta mission. The use of overtime funds will continue to be utilized for increased proactive interdiction enforcement operations 12 month supply of DOG food for 6 canines and training supplies