THOMASVILLE, Ga. — The question of recombining the drug squad with city police and sheriff’s office personnel again was raised at a Wednesday drug commission meeting.

Thomasville City Council member David Hufstetler asked if it would be better to go back to staffing the drug squad with city police officers.

“I think so,” said Louis Schofill, Thomas County/Thomasville Narcotics/Vice Division commander. “The communication lines would be more open.”

Schofill said prior to the unit being solely staffed by the Thomas County Sheriff’s Office, there had been conflicts in standard operating procedures between Thomasville Police Department (TPD) and the sheriff’s office.

“It was starting to get to be a problem,” Schofill said.

Now, if a TPD officer wants to be a narcotics agent, Schofill said, that individual must resign from the city police department. If an individual ends their tenure as a drug agent and is in good standing with TPD, there would be an “open door” to return, Schofill said.

“They have to literally give up their position,” said Thomasville Mayor Greg Hobbs.

Hobbs said the shift in drug squad staffing, which was approved last August, stems from “this chase deal.”

City and county law enforcement officials have differed on pursuits conducted by drug squad agents.

Hufstetler, also the first drug squad commander, said the “first moves” under new leadership at the Moultrie Police Department was reinstating a combined drug squad.

“And I’ve got concerns to how ours has gotten that separate,” he added.

“We can sit here and go over the issues, but’s that’s not going to accomplish anything,” said Sheriff Carlton Powell.

Powell, who is also the drug squad commanding officer, said the staffing change had “already been decided” and both law enforcement agencies knew “what the issues were.”

“It was a much better thing when we had a joint (drug squad),” he added. “but we don’t have a joint (drug squad).”

As part of the new agreement, both agencies fund $360,000 annually to the drug squad.