Gov. Gavin Newsom and city leaders are upping the ante in the fight against fentanyl in San Francisco.
Newsom, Mayor London Breed and top law enforcement officials from the city and state announced Friday a joint task force to investigate opioid-linked deaths and poisonings in San Francisco, according to a release from the governor's office.
The new task force will include personnel from the San Francisco Police Department, the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office, the California Highway Patrol and the California National Guard.
According to the governor's office, the task force will treat opioid deaths in San Francisco similar to homicide cases, using standard procedures to document deaths, gather evidence, determine who and where are the suppliers of fentanyl and hold those drug traffickers accountable.
"The opioid crisis has claimed too many, and fentanyl traffickers must be held accountable including, as appropriate, for murder," Newsom said in a statement. "This task force is fighting for those affected by this crisis — for victims and loved ones who deserve peace. Working together, we will continue providing treatment and resources to help those struggling with substance use — and secure justice for families who have lost loved ones."
Breed added: "Fentanyl is deadlier than any drug we've ever seen on our streets. We must treat the trafficking and sale of fentanyl more severely, and people must be put on notice that pushing this drug could lead to homicide charges."
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The joint task force builds on a partnership that Newsom launched earlier this year, designating CHP officers and CalGuard personnel in the city to specifically investigate fentanyl-related crimes.
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Since that effort began on May 1, the CHP has seized 18.5 kilos of fentanyl and made 364 felony and misdemeanor arrests in the Tenderloin and the surrounding area.
Not everyone is on board with the change.
San Francisco's public defender sees it as another step in the wrong direction and calling it a revival of the failed war on drugs. The public defender worries it is the city's attempt to arrest its way out of a public crisis.
Critics also said the tactic is at odds with social and scientific data that shows these types of crackdowns do not work. They say it will only lead to more overdoses as people increasingly fear calling for help.
San Francisco’s new task force is expected to be fully operational by early next year, the governor's office said.
