What resulted were very high profile cases with many asking who would get the credit. It was decided that the group of investigators working together would be called METRICH. (Metro-Richland County).

This not only gave the investigators collective identity but to the citizens, METRICH was an example of cooperative law enforcement working efficiently. All assets seized by the group would be used to purchase necessary equipment and help further demand reduction programs.

By 1988 the State of Ohio made funds available through Federal Byrne Memorial Grants to agencies willing to form task forces with a goal of reducing Ohio's drug supply.

At this time METRICH, now known as the METRICH Enforcement Unit, became a funded task force through the Office of Criminal Justice Services. The City of Mansfield was the Grantee (all funds passed through Mansfield) and the Mansfield Division of Police became the AImplementing Agency. (Responsible for all grant mandates). Captain Phil Messer, who had been the group's supervisor, now became the task force Project Director.

As the years passed, the State encouraged task force growth promoting regional cooperation and of course greater efficiency.

METRICH grew from Richland County in 1988 to nine counties and forty communities by 1999 using the same basic de-centralized structure we started with in 1986. Several counties which included most of their communities were added as follows:

1. Crawford County / March 1990
2. Huron County / June 1991
3. Morrow County / July 1991
4. Knox County / December 1991
5. Seneca County / March 1992
6. Marion County / January 1993
7. Ashland County / July 1993
8. Hancock County / October 1999
9. Wyandot County

METRICH remains one of the only Adecentralized task forces in the state promoting a Community Policing philosophy approach to task force operations. There is a control group in each county (Prosecutor, Sheriff, Chiefs of Police) that direct local efforts including setting local goals and objectives in support of the regional goals and objectives.

The METRICH Control Board is represented by each of the eight (9) Prosecutors, Sheriffs and the Chief of Police of the participating agencies. Our board sets goals/objectives, approves regional plans, and addresses problems.

The grant budget is established as follows:

Total grant minus general costs divided by total population and then multiplied by county population.

We now have determined that after we deducted costs which are forms and other administrative expenses, we have .50 (cents) per person in each of our counties to spend on task force enforcement. This means that our larger counties will get a greater share of the grant. This is done in advance and the county control groups provide a budget based on their share of the grant, again in support of the grant goals.

Match payment is based on approximately 30% of the county's allocation. Although the grant match is only 25%, the additional 5% offsets match on costs general to the operation of the unit such as forms, administrative personnel, etc.

An operations manual addressing areas of concern such as informant control, confidential funds and investigative guidelines was also developed and approved by the Control Board.

Asset or inventory control is accomplished by asseting all equipment purchases to the grantee (City of Mansfield) which is required by the grant. All assets are tracked and inventoried semi-annually.