The Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement started an informal program in 1976 with the Sacramento Heroin Impact Program and formalized it in the Central Valley in 1977 with the establishment of the Fresno and Madera Task Forces. BNE currently participates in 28 multi-agency task forces involving 28 counties, nearly 100 local agencies and over 180 local officers. The California Highway Patrol has also assigned personnel to most of the BNE task forces. The Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement assigns a Special Agent Supervisor to command each task force. BNE also provides funding for undercover work and the cost of the task force facilities.
Local agencies provide officers and additional resources.
Each task force is governed by an executive board comprised of the local chiefs, sheriffs and the BNE Special Agent in Charge, in whose region the task force operates. The Task Force's authority and being are derived from a formal agreement between the Humboldt County Sheritfls Department, Eureka Police Department, Fortuna Police Department, Arcata Police Department, California Highway Patrol, District Attorney's Office and the California Department of Justice's Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement.