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Council weighs opioid-abatement funds for digital forensics to speed fentanyl investigations
Summary
Chief Simmons proposed using the city's opioid settlement balance to buy digital-forensics tools that would let Liberty Lake police run local extractions and shorten investigation time; council asked for subscription/cost details and whether the purchase helps prevention or mainly enforcement.
Liberty Lake’s police chief asked the City Council for authorization to spend opioid-abatement funds on digital-forensics tools, saying local capacity would accelerate narcotics and technology-facilitated crime investigations and reduce outsourcing delays.
Chief Simmons told council the department currently outsources most digital extractions to the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office and that bringing tools in-house would shorten investigative timelines and lower long-term costs. “When we…do those digital forensic examinations ourselves instead of driving 27 miles to Spokane…we don’t have to wait six weeks,” Simmons said.
The proposed equipment list—presented as part of a planned agenda item—includes mobile-device extraction tools, computer-forensic workstations, cloud-extraction and warrant-processing platforms, secure evidence storage and chain-of-custody systems and related software licenses. Simmons said the police department already has certified staff who could operate many of the systems, and that the investment would support investigating fentanyl distribution, mapping supplier networks and tying overdose events to suppliers.
Council members pressed for detail on several points: allowable uses of opioid-abatement funds under state guidance; annual subscription pricing for key forensic tools; ongoing license and maintenance costs; and whether buying software is a valid abatement use versus programmatic prevention. City staff reported the city’s current opioid settlement balance was roughly $66,000–$68,000 and said smaller jurisdictions often use settlement funds to replenish naloxone supplies or to create education/treatment programs. Staff also said bigger recipients used funds for hotspot databases and programmatic responses.
Mayor Pro Tem and other councilors said the proposed use fits the fund’s purpose for law-enforcement activities but asked staff to confirm quotes and recurring subscription prices before final authorization. Simmons said he would update the budget request with current vendor quotes and corrected cost estimates and noted several agencies are using similar tools for casework.
What’s next: staff will return a final written request with updated vendor quotes, subscription terms, and legal/regulatory justifications for spending opioid-abatement dollars on digital-forensics equipment.
