California task force to treat opioid drug overdoses like murders in San Francisco

CNN — A new task force for San Francisco’s opioid crisis will empower law enforcement to investigate fatal drug overdoses as homicides, enabling prosecutors to charge dealers with murder, California Gov. The task force will treat opioid deaths in San Francisco like homicide cases in the way it documents deaths, gathers evidence and processes intelligence to map out crime syndicates, the governor’s office said in a news release. “This task force is fighting for those affected by this crisis – for victims and loved ones who deserve peace.” Mayor London Breed said, “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.” The governor’s office said the new task force is expected to be fully operational by early 2024. That is the crisis that needs to be addressed immediately and aggressively.”​​ Mano Raju, San Francisco’s public defender, called the task force “another step in the wrong direction toward the continued revival of the failed War on Drugs in SF.” His office urged leaders to “prioritize evidence-based public health strategies rather than throwing more public resources at a punitive approach that has failed time and time again.”