Oakland County sheriff urges Michigan lawmakers to tighten controls on fentanyl, pill presses and xylazine

At a meeting of the House Oversight Subcommittee on Homeland Security and Foreign Influence, Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard urged state lawmakers to adopt a coordinated approach to curb fentanyl deaths and to tighten controls on related threats such as pill presses, xylazine and transnational trafficking networks.

Bouchard told the committee that the fentanyl epidemic is the leading driver of overdose deaths nationwide and outlined local trends and programs Oakland County has used to respond, including crisis response teams, co‑responder mental‑health partnerships, naloxone in patrol cars and medically assisted treatment in the county jail.

"We're not gonna arrest our way out of the drug tragedy that's happening in America," Bouchard said, adding that enforcement must be combined with prevention, education, treatment and diversion programs.

Why it matters: Lawmakers on the subcommittee heard that synthetic opioids and rapidly shifting chemical analogs are increasing overdose risk statewide. Bouchard urged the Legislature to pass bills and allocate resources to improve enforcement against traffickers and to expand treatment and reentry supports so people who survive overdoses can access sustained help.

Bouchard summarized local trends and programs. He said Oakland County crime lab testing shows growing presence of xylazine (a veterinary tranquilizer) and new synthetic fentanyl analogs such…