From the Office of the Governor of Maryland:
Governor Larry Hogan today announced that Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services Secretary Stephen T. Moyer was selected as vice-chairman of the Washington/Baltimore High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA). This federal program, administered by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, is designed to provide resources for federal, state, and local entities to aid in combating drug trafficking by supporting and collaborating with the region’s law enforcement, treatment, and prevention partners.
“Heroin and opioid addiction is tearing families and communities apart at the seams all across our state, our region, and our nation. We need to bring all hands on deck to combat this epidemic and bring those who seek to destroy our communities to justice,” said Governor Hogan. “Steve Moyer is a demonstrated leader and I have every confidence his experience will be a tremendous asset in fighting drug trafficking in our region.”
Secretary Moyer will serve as vice-chairman for HIDTA, in addition to his leadership role at Public Safety, and he will become the chairman of HIDTA in June 2018. As secretary, he manages an agency with over 10,000 employees and $1.4 billion budget that includes the Divisions of Corrections, Parole and Probation, and Pre-Trial Release Services. Previously, Secretary Moyer served for 24 years as a Maryland State Trooper, achieving the rank of Lt. Colonel.
“The Executive Board is extremely fortunate to have Secretary Moyer, with his years of experience in law enforcement and management, step forward to provide leadership,” said Washington/Baltimore HIDTA Executive Director Thomas H. Carr. “I look forward to working with him as we tackle the drug and drug-related violence issues that confront our region.”
“I am proud to be selected to take up this challenge and combat deadly drug trafficking in our region,” said Secretary Moyer. “I look forward to working with all of our law enforcement partners to save the lives of our citizens, before it’s too late.”
Secretary Moyer’s selection comes as the region confronts an evolving opioid crisis, which has escalated with the introduction of the deadly additive fentanyl. In March, Governor Hogan declared a State of Emergency to address the drug scourge, committing $50 million in funding over the next five years for law enforcement, prevention, and treatment services.
The Hogan administration also proposed legislation, which was passed by the Maryland General Assembly during the 2017 legislative session, to increase penalties for drug dealers who knowingly sell fentanyl and its analogs, which can be more than 50 times deadlier than heroin.
Marylanders grappling with a substance use disorder can find help at BeforeItsTooLateMD.org and 1-800-422-0009, the state crisis hotline.
Does no one see through this? Once again here we have a career Trooper who now works with the dept of corrections who is going to oversee treatment, prevention drug services and oh yea law enforcement of drug trafficking. I’m just going to take a wildass guess and predict law enforcement, the money maker for his buddies gets all the attention.
I thought it was illegal to have two governmental positions. How can he remain employed by the Department of Corrections and Parole, yet still be the vice chairman or chairman of the HIDTA, unless he is NOT receiving compensation for it? Someone please explain….
I love the way they can break the law, to enforce the law and still call themselves “The Law”. Let’s remind everyone that when an organization breaks the law, especially constitutional law, to confiscate items other than contraband, well that’s called racketeering. Unless its on behalf of the state of course. I also like the way they call the “Opioid Epidemic” a recent and current problem. Let’s see, Heath Ledger, Gram Parsons, Tim Buckley, Chris Farley and even Sigmund Freud ALL died from abuse of an opioid, yet they call it a recent epidemic. This crap has been going on for years with a blind eye while Law Enforcement was out waging war against Marijuana users. I find the whole thing ridiculous. IT”S ALWAYS BEEN A PROBLEM AND WAS INTENTIONALLY LEFT ALONE WHILE LAW ENFORCEMENT WAS OUT HUNTING HUMAN BEINGS FOR USING AND GROWING POT!!! Let’s not forget that the Pharmaceutical Industry has gotten millions of people addicted to opioids, but that’s OK because they had a license to do it. The whole situation is just sickening…..
The only thing new about the opioid problem is he Sackler family got very rich off of creating addicts.
You’re absolutely correct. However, even if ALL OPIOIDS were banned tomorrow, the drug manufacturers and the medical community would find a new drug to replace the opioids and get America addicted to the next thing. It’s an unholy chain of addiction and greed that keeps the whole industry motivated to creating the next best thing. Law Enforcement is going after the wrong demons and have been forever because that’s what they are directed to do. Man made substances that are created to addict and profit from is the problem. Yet, taking a god given plant that makes a person happy and making it illegal to manufacture and use is just as much of a crime. It’s time for people to wake up and see who the REAL criminals are. If you put a man in jail for growing and using a plant that makes them happy then you’re the criminal. Especially, when that plant has NOT been altered by a man made process that makes it stronger like cocaine or any of the opioids. Never forget that just about every single reason used to make Marijuana illegal in the 1930’s has been debunked and proven to be a lie. Now many states have a medical marijuana statute and medical benefits from the plant are obvious, yet it remains on the Schedule 1 listing of Narcotic Drugs. The government still considers it a hallucinogen. I believe those in the government are the ones who are really hallucinating…..
Patent #6630507 can be explained by no government official
Yup, that patent is irrefutable proof that the government knows of the medical uses of Marijuana and that the government has kept it illegal due to all the money it generates from the enforcement, prosecution and incarceration of those who use it. Does anyone still believe the government is trying to “protect” you? Kinda like the way they say we must forfeit our rights so the government can protect us. I think we all know that the real issue is we need protection from our government…..
Folks, watch out for the junkie, tweeking drivers in the general Hazzard county area.
Just today I was sitting at the stop sign in the Riverside industrial park waiting to make a right hand turn on Route 7.
Some ants in the pants drove out the opioid treatment place and drove up beside me to make a left hand turn on Route 7.
He proceeded to make a right turn from the left hand turn lane, cutting off cars heading toward Aberdeen. He drove around a car stopped in the turn lane in Route 7 waiting to make a left turn into the industrial park and nearly got rear ended by a car heading up the hill towards 543.