Some Colorado state fentanyl funds have dried up: "We were as shocked as anyone," says police chief

Some Colorado law enforcement agencies say they are scrambling as they try to figure out what to do after some state grants to fight fentanyl trafficking ended in June, even though a state website indicated there would be more grant money available to police agencies in 2025.

"We were as shocked as anyone the money dried up," said Delta Police Chief Luke Fedler.

His department received $267,000 that he said was invaluable in disrupting fentanyl trafficking in western Colorado. Delta was one of 38 Colorado law enforcement agencies that shared about $6 million in grant money that was administered by Colorado's Office of Adult and Juvenile Assistance. The money was aimed at helping law enforcement agencies investigate deaths and serious injuries caused by synthetic opiates and clamp down on opiate trafficking.

Fedler says his agency used the money for specialized equipment, software and overtime to work anti- fentanyl operations. He said there were indications there would be additional funding. Indeed, the state website said this was "a funding opportunity ... for fiscal year 2024 and 2025."

After CBS News Colorado began asking questions about the 2025 funding, Paula Vargas, with the state's Division of Criminal Justice Office of Administration, said the grant program website "... had inaccurate dates and has since been corrected ... funding was allocated to the 2022-2023 fiscal year funding. The general fund dollars were scheduled to end on June 30, 2024," said Vargas.

Fedler said his department was already talking about how much state money they would ask for in the next grant cycle, only to find out there would be none.

"Now that the money has dried up, we're scrambling to find funds to keep up this equipment moving forward. I don't know how that's going to work," said Fedler. "It might be equipment that just gets scrapped and sits in the corner now after spending a quarter million dollars setting all this stuff up. Those operations that were working so well for us will be scrapped."

Fedler went on to say the grant helped the Delta Police Department seize between 8,000 to 10,000 fentanyl pills in the last year and make multiple arrests.

"It's very disappointing that the powers that be over on your side of the mountain decided it was an epidemic for a year and a half but not a problem anymore," he said.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment reported that there were 128 fentanyl overdose deaths in Colorado in 2018. That number has been rising steadily and in 2023, the state reported 1,097 overdose deaths due to fentanyl.

The Brighton Police Department received $258,000 from the state grant program to fight fentanyl and Patrol Sgt. Drew Murlowski said the money was beneficial in shutting down some major fentanyl distributors.

"Every year we have a target of reducing those numbers but it hasn't made much of a difference until we got the grant," said Murlowski.

The department used the state funding to pay overtime for fentanyl investigations and purchase new equipment, like an undercover SUV. He said Brighton police was able to seize about 6,000 fentanyl pills and put together 181 criminal cases. Murlowski said he believes the grant dollars helped prevent additional fentanyl overdoses. He said he believes his department's success with the state grant money will help convince Brighton City Council to provide additional funding to deal with the fentanyl crisis.

"We've proven that a quarter million dollars doesn't go that far when combatting this epidemic," Murlowski said.

Adele Armijo said she would like to see state funding for fighting fentanyl continue and be increased. Her 23-year-old son Isaac Armijo died in 2022 after ingesting fentanyl at the family home. He had been in and out of treatment centers before his death. The mother believes a drug dealer delivered the fentanyl to her son at his home.

"They (police) need more money. There's not enough," said Armijo. "Too many kids, people are dying. We're burying too many babies."