State welfare officials and the USDA agreed this week to permit local police to investigate stores for fraud in the Supplement Nutrition Assistance Program. Under the agreement, in force in 14 other states, police can go after stores who accept SNAP credit, but rather than sell food to beneficiaries, simply issue them a smaller amount of cash, which they can then use as they see fit.

Such a practice is an obvious abuse of the welfare system, and we’re glad to see the state and feds empowering cities and towns to crack down on it.

But as with most recent reforms to welfare, it’s a very modest step to end what is likely a very small piece of the problem. Lawmakers continue to balk at taking the most obvious step — making it impossible to use benefit cards to obtain cash at ATMs.

On the bright side, targeting stores that take advantage of SNAP recipients by acting as de facto cash machines is close to ensuring SNAP benefits are used for food only.

Abuses of the system must be rooted out and eliminated for the good of all.

— The Telegram of Worcester (Mass.)