The Executive Director of the Appalachia High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (AHIDTA) Vic Brown has announced that Sheriff Casey Cox from Cumberland County, Tennessee has been unanimously elected to serve on the AHIDTA Executive Board for 2017 and 2018. The AHIDTA Executive Board provides executive leadership and direction on a multitude of issues pertaining to drug enforcement throughout the AHIDTA area of responsibility which includes 86 designated counties in Kentucky, West Virginia, Tennessee and Virginia.

The High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program is administered by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). A component of the Executive Office of the President, ONDCP was created by the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988. ONDCP advises the President on drug-control issues, coordinates drug-control activities and related funding across the Federal government, and produces the annual National Drug Control Strategy, which outlines Administration efforts to reduce illicit drug use, manufacturing and trafficking, drug-related crime and violence, and drug-related health consequences.

Appalachia HIDTA is an important component of the President’s national Drug Control Strategy, which provides additional federal resources to help eliminate or reduce drug trafficking and its harmful consequences. Law enforcement organizations within HIDTA assess drug trafficking problems and design specific initiatives to reduce or eliminate the production, manufacture, transportation, distribution, and chronic use of illegal drugs, as well as money laundering activities.

Director Brown said, “Sherriff Casey Cox is a well-respected law enforcement professional and his leadership and expertise will benefit the Appalachia HIDTA Executive Board”.

Sheriff Casey Cox will be joining a very prestigious group of law enforcement leaders from throughout Appalachia HIDTA’s area of responsibility which includes: Eighth Judicial Circuit of Kentucky Commonwealth Attorney CHRIS COHRON (Chairman); Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Washington Division Office Special Agent in Charge KARL COLDER (Vice Chair); Southern District of West Virginia US Attorney CAROL CASTO; Virginia State Police Captain JERRY DAVIS; West Virginia State Police Captain SCOTT DILLON; DEA Detroit Field Division Assistant Special Agent in Charge THOMAS GORMAN; Eastern District of Tennessee US Attorney NANCY S. HARR; Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Louisville Division Special Agent in Charge AMY S. HESS; Tazewell County Sheriff’s Office Sheriff BRIAN HIEATT; Northern District of West Virginia Acting US Attorney BETSY S JIVIDEN; Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) Assistant Director T.J. JORDAN; Western District of Kentucky US Attorney JOHN KUHN; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) Louisville Field Division Special Agent in Charge STUART LOWREY; Western District of Virginia Acting US Attorney RICK A. MOUNTCASTLE; Morgantown Police Department Chief ED PRESTON; Knoxville Police Department Chief DAVID RAUSCH; DEA Atlanta Field Division Special Agent in Charge DANIEL SALTER; Kentucky State Police (KSP) Commissioner RICHARD SANDERS; Harlan County Sheriff’s Department Sheriff ERIC SMITH; Middle District of Tennessee Acting US Attorney JACK SMITH; Eastern District of Kentucky Acting US Attorney CARLTON S. SHIER, IV; West Virginia National Guard Counterdrug Coordinator Major ALLEN TACKETT; and Virginia National Guard Counterdrug Coordinator Lieutenant Colonel WILLIAM TAYLOR.