The Governor Gavin Newsom and San Francisco leaders are establishing a new task force to investigate opioid-related deaths and poisonings to hold drug dealers even more accountable.
Building on the state's partnership with the city of San Francisco to address the fentanyl crisis, this Friday, Newsom, San Francisco Mayor London Breed, District Attorney Brooke Jenkins and Police Chief Bill Scott announced the formation of a new force to investigate opioid-related deaths and poisonings in the city.
The new task force will include personnel from the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD), the San Francisco District Attorney's Office (SFDA), the California Highway Patrol (CHP), and the California National Guard (CalGuard).
This group will treat opioid deaths in San Francisco similarly to homicide cases, employing standard operating procedures to document deaths, gather relevant evidence, process intelligence to further map the fentanyl supply and large criminal syndicates, in addition to holding drug traffickers accountable.
?The opioid crisis has claimed too many people and fentanyl traffickers must be held accountable, including, where appropriate, for murder. This task force fights for those affected by this crisis: for the victims and their loved ones who deserve peace. Working together, we will continue to provide treatment and resources to help those struggling with substance use and ensure justice for families who have lost loved ones,” Newsom said.
For her part, Mayor London Breed recalled that fentanyl is more deadly than any drug that has ever been seen on the streets of San Francisco, so the trafficking and sale of that drug must be treated more severely and warn people who sell it that they could face murder charges.
At the time, District Attorney Brooke Jenkins highlighted that the new task force will provide the city and county of San Francisco with a deeply needed investigative capacity.
?Traditionally, overdoses have not been investigated as murders. "Now, by working together we will be able to investigate fatal fentanyl overdoses where evidence can be collected to establish a connection with the person who provided the drugs that killed someone so that they can possibly be charged with murder," he said.
"Drug dealers and dealers have caused the deaths of too many people in our community and this new tool will give us a better opportunity to hold them accountable for the true dangerousness of their behavior," he added.
San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott said he is proud to support city and state partners to better hold traffickers accountable and make San Francisco a safe place for everyone.
"We refuse to stand by while fentanyl traffickers continue to profit from the tragic deaths they are causing in our city," he stressed.
Through investigative efforts, evidence collection, and data analysis, the task force will seek to identify and disrupt opioid distribution networks in San Francisco that are responsible for fatal overdoses and poisonings.
Similar efforts have been successful in other cities, including San Diego and Fresno, where CalGuard analysts contribute support to investigations of opioid-related deaths. The San Francisco task force is expected to be fully operational early next year.
This new task force comes after San Francisco has seen an alarming increase in fentanyl-related deaths.
Since the state began ramping up its law enforcement efforts in San Francisco on May 1, 2023, the CHP has seized 18.5 kilograms of fentanyl and made 364 felony and misdemeanor arrests in and around the Tenderloin.
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