San Francisco, CA – Mayor London N. Breed today joined Governor Gavin Newsom, District Attorney Brooke Jenkins, Police Chief Bill Scott, and state agency public safety partners to announce the formation of a new joint law enforcement task force to investigate opioid-linked deaths and poisonings in San Francisco. The new task force is expected to be fully operational by early next year.
The new task force will include personnel from the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD), the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office (SFDA), the California Highway Patrol (CHP), and the California National Guard (CalGuard). The task force will investigate opioid deaths in San Francisco similar to homicide cases, and employ standard operating procedures to document deaths, gather relevant evidence, and process intelligence to further map out the supply of fentanyl and large crime syndicates, and hold drug traffickers accountable.
"Fentanyl is deadlier than any drug we've ever seen on our streets,” said Mayor London Breed. “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. I want to thank Governor Newsom for continuing this support in San Francisco, and all of our state law enforcement agencies for working with us to hold those who sell this deadly drug accountable. This continued partnership between local, state, and federal enforcement agencies is making a difference."
“The opioid crisis has claimed too many, and fentanyl traffickers must be held accountable including, as appropriate, for murder,” said Governor Gavin Newsom. “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 securing justice for families who have lost loved ones.”
Through investigative efforts, evidence gathering, and data analysis, the task force will seek to identify and disrupt opioid distribution networks in San Francisco that are responsible for fatal overdoses and poisonings. If there is evidence uncovered at the scene that could be used by investigators to track the drugs back to a specific dealer, the task force will investigate the case as a homicide; evidence gathered from the investigation connecting a suspected dealer with the fatal overdose will be used to support the DA’s office in filing charges.
“The new task force will equip the City and County of San Francisco with a deeply necessary investigative ability. Traditionally, overdoses have not been investigated as murders,” said District Attorney Brooke Jenkins. “Now, working together we will be able to investigate fatal fentanyl overdoses where evidence may be collected to establish a connection to the person who provided the drugs that killed someone so that they can possibly be charged with murder. Drug dealers and traffickers have caused the death of far too many individuals in our community and this new tool will give us a better chance to hold them accountable for the true dangerousness of their conduct."
San Francisco has seen an alarming rise in fentanyl-linked deaths. This year alone in the Tenderloin, SFPD has seized 107 kilos of fentanyl and made 776 arrests for sale of narcotics. SFPD has targeted the area through a multi-agency collaboration that includes the SFDA, CHP, the California Department of Justice, and CalGuard.
“We refuse to stand idly by as fentanyl dealers continue to profit from the tragic deaths they are causing in our city,” said San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott. “We are proud to stand with our city and state partners to better hold these dealers accountable and make San Francisco safe for all.”
The joint effort is focused on improving public safety, targeting fentanyl trafficking, disrupting the supply of the deadly drug in the City, and holding the operators of drug trafficking rings accountable.
“The California Highway Patrol is proud to be part of this innovative law enforcement collaboration happening in San Francisco to map out the crime rings fueling the fentanyl pipeline — and ultimately crush them,” said CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee. “Our skilled investigators are unmatched in their commitment to serve the people of California, solve crime, and bring justice.”
Through investigative efforts, evidence gathering, and data analysis, the task force will seek to identify and disrupt opioid distribution networks in San Francisco that are responsible for fatal overdoses and poisonings. Similar efforts have proven successful in other cities, including San Diego and Fresno, where CalGuard analysts contribute support to opioid-linked death investigations.
“As part of this new task force, our analysts at the California National Guard will work behind the scenes to connect the dots — to identify dealers, suppliers, and traffickers so law enforcement can secure justice,” said Major General Matthew Beevers, CalGuard. “We’ve had tremendous success serving in a similar role in San Diego and Fresno and we’re ready for this mission.”
The operation builds on the Governor’s Master Plan for Tackling the Fentanyl and Opioid Crisis, which includes an expansion of CalGuard-supported operations that last year led to a 594% increase in seized fentanyl and historic levels of funding — $1 billion statewide — to crack down on the crisis and assist those struggling with substance use.
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