Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Law Enforcement topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Spokane Police emphasize engagement-first CORE program, federal prosecution for supply disruption
Summary
A Spokane Police representative described the CORE outreach strategy focused on engagement, data-driven deployment and partnerships with treatment providers, and said the city partnered with a special assistant U.S. attorney to target suppliers.
A spokesperson for the Spokane Police Department described the Crisis Outreach, Response and Engagement (CORE) program as an engagement-first strategy that pairs officers with outreach partners to reduce crime related to substance use and connect people to services.
The spokesperson said CORE emphasizes data-driven deployment, expanded downtown bike and foot patrols and regular coordination with street-medicine clinicians and community providers. “We want to engage with people who are struggling… and that’s where we have really partnered with different entities in the city of Spokane to engage folks,” the speaker said.
Police representatives said the CORE approach contributed to declines in trespassing, drug offenses and property crimes in targeted areas after program rollout in October 2024, attributing the decreases to relationship building and referrals to treatment and housing. They also said enforcement remains part of the response when investigators identify people who bring fentanyl and other drugs into the community.
The city also funded a special assistant U.S. attorney to focus on supply-side prosecution, which city leaders said complements local diversion and treatment efforts. The police representative urged community cooperation in reporting suspected dealers and said federal prosecution will be used against people “victimizing our community.”
