Mayor Brown Proposes Creating New Special U.S. Assistant Attorney Position To Focus On Narcotics Prosecution In City Of Spokane

Spokane, Washington - A proposal put forward by Mayor Lisa Brown would combine federal and city resources to establish a Special U.S. Assistant Attorney to focus on narcotics prosecution impacting the City of Spokane.

If approved by the City Council, this attorney will be a city employee who works in collaboration with the Eastern District of Washington U.S. Attorney's Office. The U.S. Attorney's Office will provide office space, training, day-to-day supervision, and will assist with recruitment, interviewing and identifying successful candidates.

Developing this role in partnership with the U.S. Attorney's Office ensures that the City will have close relationships with federal agencies like the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and have enhanced penalty provisions for high-level drug dealers and traffickers.

"Our community has been deeply affected by the opioid epidemic. To address this crisis, I am looking to partner a new special attorney to target the root of the problem - drug dealing and trafficking. By focusing upstream, we aim to cut off the supply before it reaches out most vulnerable, preventing more people from falling victim and giving our community a chance to heal," Mayor Brown said. "I am grateful to U.S. Attorney Vanessa Waldref and her team for their partnership in this effort. Together, we will create better outcomes for our community."

"The City of Spokane and the U.S. Attorney's Office share the same goal - a safer, stronger community for all who call Spokane home. The dramatic increase in the use of fentanyl in the last few years has destroyed countless lives," stated U.S. Attorney Vanessa R. Waldref, who serves as the chief federal law enforcement officer for the Eastern District of Washington. U.S. Attorney Waldref continued, "We stand prepared to work with our federal and local law enforcement partners to address the damage being done to our communities. Working together, we are better equipped to address the fentanyl crisis - bringing justice to purveyors of poison in our neighborhoods and sparing community members and families from the tragedy of deadly drug poisonings. I am grateful for our partnership with the City of Spokane, and I look forward to continuing to work with the Mayor's team on critical public safety projects for our community."

About the City of Spokane

The City of Spokane, home to more than 229,000 people, is located in the heart of the Inland Northwest. Our 2,000 employees strive to deliver efficient and effective services that facilitate economic opportunity and enhance the quality of life for all our residents. For more information, visit www.spokanecity.org and follow us @spokanecity on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About the U.S. Attorney's Office

The United States Attorney's Office is responsible for representing the federal government in almost all litigation involving the United States in the Eastern District of Washington, which is comprised of the 20 Washington counties east of the Cascade Mountains. The U.S. Attorney's Office handles all criminal prosecutions for violations of federal law, as well as civil lawsuits by and against the U.S. government. It is the mission and the pledge of the U.S. Attorney's Office to represent the United States with determination, professionalism, and integrity. The District's headquarters is located in Spokane, Washington, with branch offices in Richland and Yakima.