KIMBALL -- The Kimball Police Department announced that one of their officers has been assigned to a Nebraska narcotics task force. 

The Western Nebraska Intelligence & Narcotics Group (WING) is a regional task force for the Panhandle that will give the department firsthand information about narcotics activity in our area. 

Chief of Police Jose Ruiz said, “It’s a big deal and having that firsthand knowledge about what's going on here is going to help us combat it a lot more effectively." 

Ruiz said this was an important step in addressing drug crime in Kimball. 

“When I got here, one of the biggest complaints was the drug issues that Kimball was having, and that is something I wanted to address when I took over as Chief,” Ruiz said. “Our department has not been actively involved in the WING since 2012, and it’s been even longer since an officer has been directly assigned to the group.”