Council approves GRPD grant application

The Green River City Council approved a grant that would allow the Green River Police Department to place two officers on the Wyoming Department of Criminal Investigations’ Southwest Drug Enforcement Team.

The grant, a sub-contract award, comes from federal funds allocated through the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program. Generally, only one position on the enforcement team is available for the police department. According to Council documents, staff changes at the Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office resulted in a second position opening up. Green River Police Chief Tom Jarvie said the positions don’t usually get offered to less experienced police officers because they sometimes forget how to be patrol officers once their time with the team ends. However, he has a number of officers interested in the roles.

The grant amount for the two roles totals $171,505.52, but does not include what Jarvie referred to as “fringe benefits,” which he said could range between $20,000-$30,000 depending on the officer.

Jarvie said the funds represent one of two main revenue streams from the federal government used to counter drug trafficking operations. The GRPD has worked with DCI through money provided by the grant for more than 20 years.

Other business

The Council approved the third reading of a zone-change ordinance for 645 W. Flaming Gorge Way. The change shifts the property’s zoning from B-1 (General Business) to R-2 (Single Family Residential). The owners of the property plan to build a house on the lot.

The Council voted to ratify four agreements related to an opiate class action lawsuit the city is involved in with Wyoming’s state government. The state will receive funds as part of a settlement reached with drug manufacturers that marketed opiate-derivative drugs in misleading ways, not communicating the risks associated with the drugs. The city will receive the funds from the state.

Other cities throughout Wyoming have joined in the class action suit, which seeks recovery from costs associated with the opioid epidemic.