SPOKANE, Wash. — On Tuesday, Mayor Lisa Brown signed an emergency declaration in response to the opioid crisis in the City of Spokane. She signed the emergency declaration following a press conference at Fire Station One.
The emergency declaration includes several actions to try and clean up the city with a special emphasis on the area of Second and Division in Spokane.
Some of those actions include:
- Temporarily reopening the Cannon Street Shelter which will be ran by the Empire Health Foundation. They mayor says people in the temporary shelter will be connected to proper services and ultimately transitional housing solutions
- The city will partner with Consistent Care to roll out a high-user initiative that will identify those who frequently cycle between the street, emergency rooms, and jail. The mayor says those people will receive case management services. Brown said the funding will come from recent opioid settlements.
- The city will partner with Spokane Treatment and Recovery Services (STARS) to increase the presence of the CAR50 program that provides transportation to medical and treatment facilities for those under the influence of drugs.
- More options for Spokane firefighters to offer people who overdose, including withdrawal management.
- Spokane Police will increase patrols in the area and surrounding areas to disrupt drug dealing and hold people accountable for distributing opioids.
The mayor says they are requesting additional Narcan doses and fentanyl testing strips from Washington State.
In addition to helping those impacted by opioids, the mayor also announced a joint partnership with law enforcement agencies to identify and prosecute drug dealers and traffickers. United States Attorney Vanessa Waldref said, “We are prioritizing the prosecution of fentanyl cases vigorously seeking to disrupt the sources and supplies of drugs in our communities, and to send a strong deterrent message to criminal drug networks.”
The mayor made Tuesday's announcement at a Spokane fire station, and just moments before the press conference, emergency responders received a call for a drug overdose, which set the tone for just how immediate the need is to address opioid use in Spokane.
"I wish they would get off that crap," Duan Marsh said. "I've had 17 friends OD on these sidewalks, about five dead on Division."
Marsh has lived on these streets for the past 12 years, witnessing too many lose themselves to drug abuse.
"I'm tired of finding dead bodies," Marsh said.
Spokane leaders want to change this.
"Everyone knows someone whose life has been lost or dramatically altered because of this crisis," Brown said. "I know I do."
The full press conference can be watched below:
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This is not the first time a Spokane mayor addressed issues of crime in the area of Second and Division.
In September 2023, then Spokane Police Chief Craig Meidl and former Mayor Nadine Woodward talked about the department increasing patrols in that particular section of roadway. Meidl said, “SPD implemented a mission around the Second and Division area in the surrounding blocks as well to focus on the blight and lawlessness that is occurring."
In just one week, SPD claims they arrested more than 50 people in the area for possession of drugs, weapons and trespassing.
"Our officers were forced to let go about 25 individuals that had warrants because of the jail capacity" Meidl said.
Watch the full press conference about crime on 2nd and Division from former Mayor Woodward in September 2023 below.
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