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NW HIDTA receives three national awards

Northwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (NW HIDTA) has received national recognition for its part in three programs to fight and prevent the use of illicit drugs.

The Seattle-based organization coordinates law enforcement efforts to combat drug trafficking in 14 counties within Washington state, and is part of the national HIDTA network operating under the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy.   

One of its awards is for its creation of the Northern Border Task Force to help curtail the sophisticated drug trafficking organizations that move drugs, weapons and money across the Canadian border.  In nominating the task force for the award, NW HIDTA Executive Director David Rodriguez cited several instances where efforts of the group were the main reason for stopping millions of dollars worth of cross-border drug shipments and for apprehending those involved.

A second award is for NW HIDTA’s support of drug courts in 10 of the 14 counties it serves. Drug courts offer a unique mix of interdiction and treatment options for those convicted of drug-related offenses rather than jail time.

A third award is for the HIDTA’s partnership with the Greater Spokane Substance Abuse Council (GSSAC) for its work on drug prevention efforts with area tribes.   In 2009 GSSAC was a pivotal organization in the  inauguration of “Tribal Track,” a program providing training and discussions that focused on tribal communities in the region.  In addition, GSSAC staff has assisted Spokane Tribal Police a prescription medication take-back program. Most recently, GSSAC conducted a community forum that brought together law enforcement, treatment and prevention leaders including the prevention coordinator for the Spokane Tribe and the Chief of the Kalispel Tribal Police Department.

“I’m very gratified by ONDCP’s recognition of our programs, but must give all the credit to our partner agencies,” said Steve Freng, prevention and treatment specialist for NW HIDTA.  “The Drug Court Initiative entails ten different County Superior Court programs in the Northwest HIDTA region and many dedicated staff and clients.  The Greater Spokane Substance Abuse Council also deserves accolades for, on their own initiative, building very effective relationships with the Native American communities in their locale.”

Rodriguez and Freng accepted the awards of behalf of NW HIDTA and its partner agencies at a June 22 awards banquet in Washington, D.C.


NW HIDTA report outlines gang
activity in Washington state

More than 300 active street gangs in Washington state with around 15,000 members are using social media to post their activities and to recruit new members, a new report by staff at NW HIDTA states. Gangs are using Facebook, YouTube and other networking sites to communicate with each other worldwide, to enlist new members and to intimidate or threaten their rivals, according to NW HIDTA's Washington State Gang Intelligence Bulletin 2010.

King County has the most gangs, at 120, in the state, with Pierce County posting the second highest at 50, or 16 percent of the state's total. Yakima County has 40 known gangs and there are 21 gangs in Thurston County. Prison gangs make up 18 percent of the state's prison population and account for 43 percent of violent incidents within the prison system. Gang activity is also prevalent on many of the state's Indian reservations, despite zero tolerance policies by some tribes.



NW HIDTA MISSION STATEMENT

The Northwest HIDTA mission is to measurably reduce large-scale importation and local drug trafficking by intercepting shipments, to disrupt local manufacturing and trafficking operations, and to reduce demand by supporting treatment and effective demand reduction programs. The Northwest HIDTA focuses on high value drug trafficking targets and financial.

The goals of the Northwest HIDTA are to:

  • Disrupt the market for illegal drugs by dismantling or
    disrupting drug trafficking and/or money laundering organizations.

  • Improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the HIDTA initiatives.

NW HIDTA building in Seattle
Location in Seattle

Computers - investigative support unit

Investigative Support Unit

THE NORTHWEST HIDTA:

In January 1997, the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) designated a seven county area in Washington State as a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA). In 2002, the Northwest HIDTA expanded to 14 counties, which encompasses Benton, Clark, NW HIDTA countiesCowlitz, Franklin, King, Kitsap, Lewis, Pierce, Skagit, Snohomish, Spokane, Thurston, Whatcom, and Yakima. These counties are the region's main drug trafficking gate-way, facilitating five different importation routes. These routes are (1) SeaTac Airport; (2) large scale container traffic through the Ports of Seattle and Tacoma; (3) I-5 corridor traffic coming north from the U.S.-Mexican border; (4) the Yakima Valley (Highway 97), the predominant corridor to Eastern Washington; and (5) cross-border traffic to and from Canada in Whatcom County. The Northwest HIDTA’s two greatest drug threats are methamphetamine and marijuana. Although clandestine methamphetamine lab activity has significantly decreased, methamphetamine use remains prevalent. The decrease in local production is off-set by increased production in Mexico by Mexican poly-drug trafficking organizations. Marijuana is the most readily available and widely abused drug in Washington State.

PREVENTION INITIATIVES:
Four Northwest HIDTA initiatives address the demand reduction elements of the mission and goals. The Drug Court Development initiative supports enhancements to each of the programs operated in HIDTA counties. The Community Coalition Support initiative entails a regional substance abuse prevention strategy, implemented by innovative projects in each HIDTA County. The Public Education/Awareness initiative includes the “M-Files” website, the “Say It Straight” training curriculum and print/video materials about marijuana and methamphetamine. The MIS/Evaluation initiative is comprised of outcome studies of the HIDTA-region Drug Court programs and prevention projects, and the development of a regional case management information system network.

INVESTIGATIVE SUPPORT UNIT:

The ISU’s two primary elements are the Watch Center and Analytical Unit. The Analytical Unit provides both tactical and strategic intelligence services. The strategic responsibilities of this group include providing regional threat assessments on an annual basis. Analytical Unit members may work closely with investigators as a criminal case develops or with attorney’s in preparation for trial. This HIDTA service is designed to enhance the investigative process by applying proven intelligence analysis techniques. The Watch center offers two very important and highly valued services for drug investigators; deconfliction and Intelligence Research. Deconfliction plots drug arrests, sales, money pickup, raids, and surveillance and places them onto a computerized map. If another agency is working on the same subject, in very close proximity or if the agencies are targeting each other, the computer alerts the operator. Each agency involved is then told that a conflict may exist and is asked to contact the agency in conflict. The Watch Center’s analysts have the ability to supply investigators with drug intelligence information from the Federal, State, and Local agencies. The Watch Center uses the Western States Information Network (WSIN) as its primary database. All Watch Center employees are cross designated as WSIN analysts and have computer access to WSIN and the Regional Information Sharing System (RISS).

TECHNICAL EQUIPMENT PROGRAM:

The Investigative Support Unit has a surveillance equipment loan program. It includes night vision equipment, tracking devices, audio and video recording equipment. The HIDTA’s electronics technician provides assistance to investigators by installing telephone intercept devices such as trap and trace; pen registers and dialed number recorders. The HIDTA also provides investigators with the ability to intercept criminal activity involving digital pagers. This loaned equipment program is similar to WSIN’s in many respects. The HIDTA’s Electronic Technician trains investigators on how to use each piece of evidence gathering electronics.

INVESTIGATIVE SUPPORT UNIT:

The strategic responsibilities of the ISC also include providing an annual regional drug threat assessment and other special studies, as needed.

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