A group working to legalize marijuana in Missouri says that nearly half of the state's 25 drug task forces declined to turn over public records sought under state law.
A new report from Show-Me Cannabis says that 10 of the multi-jurisdictional task forces didn't respond to its request for copies of quarterly status reports to the Missouri Department of Public Safety. The regional task forces receive state funding as well as federal Department of Justice grants.
The group also says the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department denied the existence of a city drug task force, even when presented with records showing St. Louis received $200,000 annually for such efforts.
Police attorney Mark Lawson told The Associated Press the records weren't provided because the task force goes by a different name.
