San Francisco, CA – In response to the alarming rise in fentanyl overdose deaths, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced a new statewide public safety partnership aimed at targeting fentanyl trafficking in San Francisco. The plan, which includes the California Highway Patrol (CHP), the California National Guard, the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD), and the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office, aims to dismantle the fentanyl trade and disrupt the city’s supply of the drug.
The partnership will focus on holding operators of large-scale drug trafficking operations accountable, with a strategic assignment of law enforcement personnel to proactively enforce the law in key areas of the city, including the Tenderloin. The CHP will also provide additional specialized expert training in drug recognition and advanced roadside drunk driving control to SFPD personnel to help local law enforcement detect, deter, and prevent drug-related crimes.
Mayor London Breed stated in a press release that the fentanyl crisis is affecting the city’s residents, workers, and businesses and requires collaboration to disrupt the flow of drugs in San Francisco while providing treatment for those struggling with addiction. The plan is expected to start on May 1, 2023.
The fentanyl crisis has hit San Francisco’s homeless population particularly hard, with twice as many homeless people dying from overdoses in the past year compared to the previous year. The crisis has also disproportionately affected minority communities, with a third of the victims being Black individuals, despite representing only 6% of the city’s population.
The new partnership provides hope for San Francisco and California as a whole as they continue to battle the devastating effects of the opioid crisis. However, it is clear that much more needs to be done to address the root causes of addiction and provide support and treatment for those struggling with substance use.