Scott County law enforcement officers being investigated

The Southeast Missouri Drug Task Force is investigating local law enforcement officers, Scott County Sheriff Rick Walter confirmed Thursday.

"There is an ongoing investigation into some law enforcement officers," Walter said in a telephone interview Thursday afternoon.

Walter said several agencies are participating in the investigation, including the SEMO Drug Task Force and Scott County Sheriff's Department. He declined to provide details about the investigation.

A Scott County commissioner declined to comment on the investigation Thursday.

"This is more of a law enforcement issue, and I would rather not comment at this time," said Jamie Burger, Scott County presiding commissioner.

It was not immediately clear whether the investigation involved officers from any other agencies.

A dispatcher at the Scott City Police Department said the department is "not commenting at this time" on whether any of its officers are being targeted by the investigation.

The SEMO Drug Task Force is an organization supervised by the Missouri State Highway Patrol with officers from local agencies who investigate drug activity within their jurisdictions. The Sikeston, Mo.-based task force is one of eight such organizations in Missouri, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol's website.

Officers with the task force and the Missouri State Highway Patrol did not immediately return phone calls seeking comment Thursday.

This isn't the first time the SEMO Drug Task Force has investigated law enforcement personnel.

In July, a Wayne County, Mo., dispatcher was fired, and she and her roommate were charged with possession of an imitation controlled substance with intent to distribute after investigators executed a search warrant at her apartment.

According to a probable-cause affidavit filed in connection with the case, a task force officer found suspected synthetic marijuana, ledgers recording sales of the substance and other evidence during the search, the Daily American Republic reported July 28.

Southeast Missourian reporter Emily Priddy contributed some information for this story.