The Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control (OBN), often shortened to Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, is an agency of the government of Oklahoma charged with minimizing the abuse of controlled substances through law enforcement measures directed primarily at drug trafficking, illicit drug manufacturing, and major suppliers of illicit drugs. The Bureau is governed by a seven-member commission whose members are appointed by the

Governor of Oklahoma The governor of Oklahoma is the head of government of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Under the Oklahoma Constitution, the governor serves as the head of the Oklahoma executive branch, of the government of Oklahoma. The governor is the '' ex of ...

with the approval of the Oklahoma Senate. The commission is responsible for appointing a director. Donnie Anderson was appointed Director in March 2020.

History

In 1953, the

Oklahoma Legislature The Legislature of the State of Oklahoma is the state legislative branch of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The Oklahoma House of Representatives and Oklahoma Senate are the two houses that make up the bicameral state legislature. There are 101 ...

created the agency to enforce drug laws. Designated the Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the agency operated under the

Attorney General of Oklahoma The Attorney General of Oklahoma is the State Attorney General for the state of Oklahoma. The attorney general serves as the chief legal and law enforcement officer of the State of Oklahoma and head of the Office of the Oklahoma Attorney Genera ...

for the next decade. In 1964, the Division of Narcotics Enforcement was abolished and created under the name of the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics. The new bureau was placed under the direct command of the

. In the late 1960s, narcotics operations and drug-related crimes accelerated. Despite a merger into the

Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) is an independent state law enforcement agency of the government of Oklahoma. The OSBI assists the county sheriff offices and city police departments of the state, and is the primary investigative ...

(OSBI) in 1968, only one full-time narcotics agent was employed by the state. Recognizing this problem, the Legislature granted OSBI funds to establish a full-time narcotics unit, but by the early 1970s the unit had been proven a failure. In response, the Legislature passed the Uniform Control Dangerous Substances Act of 1971. The Act established the Commissioner of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control under the direction of the Attorney General. The Commissioner was responsible for the state's general interest in controlled drugs but actual enforcement of the Controlled Substances Act was left to the OSBI. It soon became apparent that this arrangement failed to respond to controlling the surging drug trade. Therefore, in 1975, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics was reconstituted, this time more adequately staffed and equipped, and given the necessary autonomy to operate in the

war on drugs The war on drugs is a global campaign, led by the United States federal government, of drug prohibition, military aid, and military intervention, with the aim of reducing the illegal drug trade in the United States.Cockburn and St. Clair, 1 ...

. The Bureau has original jurisdiction statewide on all violations of the Uniform Control Dangerous Substances Act as well as crimes of human trafficking.

Responsibilities

The Bureau of Narcotics is charged with enforcing the State's criminal and administrative drug laws. In particular, the Bureau's agents have responsibility for enforcing the following laws: *Uniform Controlled Dangerous Substance Act - general law governing all narcotics and dangerous drugs *Anti-Drug Diversion Act - criminalizes the use of legal drugs for illegal purposes *Precursor Substances Act - regulates the use of chemicals used to manufacture illegal drugs *Trafficking in Illegal Drugs Act - criminalizes the manufacturing and distribution of control substances *Drug Money Laundering and Wire Transmitter Act - allows OBN to investigate money transactions for drug-related activities *Oklahoma Methamphetamine Offender Registry Act - directs OBN to establish a centralized methamphetamine offender database *All laws relating to money laundering and human trafficking OBN trains and assists local law enforcement agencies in addition to compiling drug-related statistics. OBN also provides a leadership role for law enforcement throughout the state for the investigative effort directed towards eliminating the illegal use of controlled dangerous substances. The Bureau serves as the law enforcement arm of the State government's approach to combating drugs. The Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services serves as the prevention, education and treatment component. The two agencies work together to develop a comprehensive drugs control strategy for the State.

Rank structure

Locations

The Bureau maintains a presence in all 77 counties within the state of Oklahoma. This is achieved by the combination of District Offices, Regional Offices, and agents assigned to specific counties of the state. The Bureau maintains District Offices in Oklahoma City, Tulsa, McAlester, Ardmore, Lawton and Woodward with Regional Offices in multiple other locations. The Bureau's headquarters is located in Oklahoma City, OK.

Budget

The Bureau of Narcotics receives only about 16% of its budget from annual appropriations from the

. Fees generated by the Bureau make up another 70%. The remaining 14% comes from various sources. Employee benefits and salaries make up 76% of the budget, with operating expenses totaling 17% and other expenses accounting for 7%.

References

* State bureau narcotics

External links

Bureau of Narcotics official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Oklahoma Bureau Of Narcotics And Dangerous Drugs Control Buraeu of Narcotics 1975 establishments in Oklahoma