The Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics (MBN) is the state agency responsible for enforcing laws pertaining to illicit street narcotic traffic. This report detailed PEER’s evaluation of the bureau’s efforts at fulfilling its drug enforcement duties.
Although legally under the supervision of the Department of Public Safety, the bureau has operated as an independent state agency because it has a separate appropriation and the director is appointed by the Governor. Bureau agents are not entitled to twenty-year retirement as are highway patrolmen although agents are engaged in equally or more hazardous duties. Although MBN has received special funds over the years, it has not provided information on such funds for the Legislature’s use in appropriating bureau funds.
In the report, PEER reviewed three feasible organizational alternative views regarding the bureau: retain the current system, institute administrative changes to include changing the law to provide early retirement for bureau agents, or reorganize.
For a paper copy of this report, contact PEER by telephone at 601-359-1226 or by e-mail at reports@peer.ms.gov.