San Francisco Mayor London Breed joined public safety leaders Friday and outlined a new state public safety partnership announced by Gov. Gavin Newsom to target fentanyl trafficking operations and drug rings in the city.
The announced new plan involves an agreement between the California Highway Patrol, California National Guard, San Francisco Police Department and San Francisco District Attorney's Office to work together to fight the ongoing crisis.
"It will send a strong message to those perpetrating those crimes that are holding communities hostage that we will do everything we can to work together to make sure there is accountability," Breed said.
City leaders, with reinforcements from the CHP and California National Guard, are hoping accountability will lead to saving lives.
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"People are fed up with it. We are fed up with it. And our attention needs to be on the people who are causing the problems," San Francisco police Chief Bill Scott said.
The joint effort directed by Newsom will target fentanyl trafficking and drug rings, with a focus on the Tenderloin and South of Market.
"Those who traffic drugs, guns, and human beings are not welcome in our communities," Newsom said in a statement Friday. "That’s why we’re launching this operation. This is not about criminalizing people struggling with substance use – this is about taking down the prominent poison peddlers and their connected crime rings that prey on the most vulnerable, and harm our residents. While it’s true that San Francisco is safer than many cities its size, we cannot let rampant crime continue."
Starting Monday, more CHP officers are expected in neighborhoods where the city has seen the highest death rate from overdoses. But do not expect to see any national guard troops, who will be working in the background tracking cartels and working to gather intelligence on drug rings.
"The fentanyl crisis is impacting our residents, workers, and businesses, and it requires all of us working together to disrupt the flow of drugs in San Francisco while also making sure we have treatment for those struggling with addiction," Breed said.
A news release from the Mayor's Office further breaks down how the partnership and enforcement will work:
- The CHP will strategically allocate a new team of law enforcement personnel to proactively enforce the law — with a focus on drug trafficking enforcement within key areas of the city, including the Tenderloin. In addition to its supplemental law enforcement efforts, the CHP will provide investigative support to develop sophisticated criminal cases and disrupt illegal opioid trafficking. The CHP will also provide additional specialized Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement and Drug Recognition Expert training to SFPD personnel to assist local law enforcement in detecting, deterring, and preventing drug and alcohol-related crimes in the city. In a change to operations, San Francisco Area CHP units will also provide supplemental patrol in key areas of the city as workload allows.
- CalGuard service members will support the analysis of drug trafficking operations, with a particular focus on disrupting and dismantling fentanyl rings in the region that contribute to the ongoing public safety and public health crisis. Similar CalGuard-supported operations conducted last month statewide resulted in the seizure of 4.7 million fentanyl pills and 2,471 lbs of fentanyl powder — with a wholesale street value of over $49 million combined. Additionally, as part of today’s announcement, the Governor has authorized CalGuard to assist SFPD with administrative non-patrol tasks to improve law enforcement's ability to address pressing crime-fighting efforts related to this operation.
