Mayor Todd Gloria Tuesday signed an government order to handle the illicit fentanyl disaster within the metropolis by strengthening and prioritizing legislation enforcement for crimes associated to the sale of the drug.
Fentanyl overdoses claimed the lives of greater than 800 San Diegans final 12 months, 113 of them homeless, in line with the mayor’s workplace and SDPD. 5 years in the past, two folks experiencing homelessness died from fentanyl overdoses.
“The proliferation of fentanyl in our communities — and the accompanying dying and destruction it’s inflicting in our communities — calls for swift motion from all ranges of presidency,” Gloria mentioned. “As mayor, I’m going to do all the pieces inside my authority to sort out this disaster head-on.
“Right now, we’re taking measures to assist disrupt the distribution of fentanyl and maintain predatory sellers accountable for the hurt they’re inflicting to our neighborhood,” he mentioned.
Government Order 2022-1 directs the San Diego Police Division to give attention to fentanyl sales-related crimes. It additionally introduced town’s intent to pursue laws on the state and federal ranges to handle the rise in fentanyl overdoses, together with: reclassifying illicit, non-pharmaceutical fentanyl and analogs as Schedule 1 medication federally; pursuing sentencing enhancements for trafficking and gross sales close to faculties; and looking for state and federal funding for trafficking enforcement, training and remedy packages.
“Far too many individuals in our neighborhood, from all walks of life, have felt the devastating results of fentanyl,” mentioned SDPD Chief David Nisleit. “We should take an aggressive method to this epidemic. The San Diego Police Division continues to work with our legislation enforcement and neighborhood companions to trace down, arrest and prosecute those that would peddle this poison in our neighborhoods and to a few of our most susceptible populations.”
The order additionally directs metropolis employees to develop a plan in live performance with the San Diego Metropolis Council and metropolis legal professional for what to do with the estimated $30 million in nationwide opioid settlement funding that can be coming to town over the subsequent eight years, a metropolis assertion reads.
“Combating the fentanyl disaster in our area which is harming and killing our relations, youngsters and neighbors is a prime precedence for my workplace,” mentioned San Diego County District Lawyer Summer time Stephan. “I welcome and assist Mayor Gloria’s government order which brings an enhanced focus to combating this lethal epidemic by means of growing prevention and training, alongside pursuing legal guidelines that may give legislation enforcement and prosecutors the instruments to analyze and prosecute unlawful drug sellers poisoning our neighborhood with fentanyl-laced drugs and powders.”
Fentanyl is an artificial opioid invented as an anesthetic for surgical procedure. Deaths from the drug, which is affordable to provide and much more potent than heroin, have elevated tenfold from 5 years in the past, when it first emerged as a typical road drug.
Gloria introduced his intent to enact an government order on fentanyl at a media briefing with legislation enforcement earlier this month. The order takes impact instantly.
–Metropolis Information Service
