San Jose is responding to growing concerns over open-air drug use in downtown.
Less than 24 hours after NBC Bay Area's exclusive report on Friday, Mayor Matt Mahan called an emergency meeting and news conference to address the issue. On Monday, as officer foot patrols hit downtown streets, there was a specific focus on the corner of South Third and East San Fernando streets, where residents have repeatedly recorded people smoking crack or exchanging crack pipes at all hours of the day and night.
"If you come to San Jose to deal drugs, you will be arrested and prosecuted," Mahan said over the weekend. "We’re taking this extremely seriously."
After the news conference, residents told NBC Bay Area that they saw dealers and users returning to that same corner.
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Mahan said solving the problem will take more than just arresting those involved.
"Obviously the focus now is more on treatment," lawyer Stuart Kirchick said.
Kirchick, who takes on drug cases, said drug users generally don't face much criminal consequences these days.
"It's just the court system, the way it's laid out, because there’s a three strikes, sort of, three opportunities before really punishment gets involved," he said. "There’s treatment options for the first three times."
In a statement, Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen suggested the homeless and mental health crises need fresh ideas.
"Arresting low-level, mentally ill, homeless drug addicts and tossing them in jail is neither fresh nor effective," he said. "The so-called 'War on Drugs' strategy is an antique, inhumane, ineffective idea that causes jail overcrowding and racial disproportionality."
Experts say the key is to those supplying the drugs.
"I think the police, obviously they always make their efforts by trying to work up that chain, to get to the people who are supplying, manufacturing, etcetera. That's their goal," Kirchick said. "They want to cut off the head of the snake."
