CITY OF LAGUNA NIGUEL
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM
To: Honorable Mayor and Council Members
FROM: Tamara S. Letourneau, City Manager
DATE: February 15, 2022
SUBJECT: Adoption of Resolution No. 2022-1379 Supporting Orange County's Efforts to Eliminate the Threat of Fentanyl in our Communities
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council Adopt Resolution No. 2022-1379, supporting Orange County's efforts to eliminate the threat of Fentanyl in our communities.
BACKGROUND
On January 25, 2022, the County Board of Supervisors adopted a resolution joining Orange County Law Enforcement in its commitment to eliminate the threat of fentanyl in Orange County. Fentanyl poses a significant public health and safety risk to local communities. From 2016 through 2020, fentanyl-related deaths in Orange County increased at an alarming rate of 1100%. Between 2017-2020, the Orange County Sheriff's Department (OCSD) seized over 388 pounds of fentanyl, which potentially contained 88 million lethal doses and had a total street value of $43 million.
ANALYSIS
The City of Laguna Niguel prides itself on being a safe and healthy City, with Public Safety being outlined as Goal #1 in the City's Strategic Plan. The City of Laguna Niguel has recognized the alarming rate at which the opioid crisis has impacted Orange County and has taken proactive measures to raise awareness of the effects of the opioid epidemic.
In 2019, the City of Laguna Niguel adopted a legislative platform that included maintaining quality public safety as a guiding principle. The City actively supports efforts to fight back against the opioid crisis and its effects on individuals, families, and communities. Most recently, the City submitted a letter of support for Senate Bill 75 (Bates), creating a Southern California Fentanyl Task Force.
This item was placed on the agenda at the request of Mayor Gennawey. The proposed resolution (Attachment A) reaffirms the City's commitment to combat the public safety threat posed by the increasing prevalence of fentanyl.
FISCAL REVIEW
There is no fiscal impact as a result of this report.
LEGAL REVIEW
No legal review is required for this report.
CONCLUSION
Staff recommends that the City Council Adopt Resolution No. 2022-1379, supporting Orange County's efforts to eliminate the threat of Fentanyl in our communities.
Jamass Setowneau
Tamara S. Letourneau
City Manager
Attachments:
A. Resolution No. 2022-1379, Supporting Orange County's Efforts to Eliminate the Threat of Fentanyl in our Communities
ATTACHMENT A
Resolution No. 2022-1379
RESOLUTION NO. 2022-1379
THE THREAT OF FENTANYL IN OUR COMMUNITIES
WHEREAS, the increasing prevalence of fentanyl poses a significant public health and safety risk to Orange County communities; and
WHEREAS, nationwide drug-related deaths exceeded 100,000 between April 2020 and April 2021. Fentanyl is a significant contributing factor to this alarming statistic; and
WHEREAS, Orange County fentanyl-related deaths have increased 1100% from 37 in 2016 to 432 in 2020. In that same period statewide fentanyl-related deaths increased over 1600% from 239 to 3,857; and
WHEREAS, many of these deaths are the result of drug dealers selling counterfeit pills containing illicit fentanyl. The person consuming is unaware of the fentanyl presence; and
WHEREAS, the Orange County Sheriff's Department continues efforts to interdict and seize illicit narcotics. From 2017-2020 Sheriff's narcotics teams seized 388 pounds of fentanyl. These seizures potentially contained 88 million lethal doses and had a tootle street value of $43 million. Each dose taken off the street represents a potential life saved; and
WHEREAS, the Orange County Sheriff's Department and municipal police agencies have begun issuing advisements to all those arrested for selling narcotics. The advisement states that if a dealer sells, furnishes, or distributes drugs to someone, and that person dies as a result of using the drugs, they can be charged with murder. Similarly, the Orange County District Attorney's Office adopted a policy to advise offenders convicted of certain drug-related charges that if they commit a drug-related crime again and someone dies as a result they can be charged with murder; and WHEREAS, the Drug Enforcement Agency has launched a public campaign, "One Pill Can Kill," to raise awareness that pills purchased outside of a licensed pharmacy are illegal, dangerous, and potentially deadly. This message is also reiterated in the Orange County Sheriff's Department's "Above the Influence" school education program; and WHEREAS, the City of Laguna Nigel holds public safety as the City top priority as outlined in the City's adopted Strategic Plan; and
WHEREAS, the City of Laguna Niguel's legislative platform includes the guiding orinciple of "Maintaining Public Safety." Recognizing the impacts of the opioid epidemic, the City incorporated drug abuse in the City's adopted legislative platform to support efforts to fight back against the opioid crisis and its effects on individuals, families, and communities; and
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, the City of Laguna Niguel joins with Orange County law enforcement and the Board of Supervisors in committing to eliminate the threat of fentanyl to our community. The City of Laguna Niguel commits to devoting resources to the interdiction of narcotics, holding accountable drug traffickers, and raising PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 15th day of February, 2022.
Elaine Gennawey, Mayor
ATTEST:
Thy Merritt, Acting City Clerk