Opioid task force gets OK

COEUR d’ALENE — The true impact of opioids on Coeur d’Alene “is profound,” said Police Chief Lee White.

He cited one recent example of a mother who suffered an overdose and collapsed on top of her 3-year-old child.

When first responders arrived, they found a 5-year-old trying to pull the younger sibling from under his deceased mom.

White told the Coeur d’Alene City Council on Tuesday that police are trying to increase their efforts to combat opioids and drug abuse in the community and prevent such heartbreaking situations.

“It’s no secret there’s a bit of an opioid problem in the United States,” White said. “The city of Coeur d’Alene has the same issue.”

Police received nearly 200 service calls last year for overdoses, most nonfatal, and many more go unreported.

The City Council unanimously approved White’s request to form a two-person opioid task force at a cost of about $260,000 annually.

It is expected to start in fiscal year 2024-2025.

The council agreed to revoke allocation of funds to the Panhandle Health District and instead direct it to the creation of the task force.

In 2021, Idaho received $120 million as part of a settlement agreement with three drug companies to compensate for the impact of opioids on communities. 

The city’s share of those funds was $1.3 million, to be paid out over 18 years, according to a city report.

In March 2022, the council voted to reallocate the city’s share of funds to the PHD. The first distribution was $251,847.

About $894,875 remains due to the city.

Don Duffy, PHD director, said the health district supported the city's decision to use the money for the task force.

“The work the chief is doing, what his vision is, we feel is a better use of those funds,” Duffy said.

The task force's roles would include responding to overdose calls, providing assistance to overdose victims and family members, investigating illegal opioid trafficking and distribution and providing training to public safety personnel and community groups regarding Opioid Use Disorder.

White said use of opioids, such as fentanyl, is a “huge problem in our community,” and that will require police to work jointly with other law enforcement and health agencies, which he said they do on a regular basis already.

“We’re not going to arrest ourselves out of this problem,” he said. 

It’s not just about responding to overdose scenes, but helping those with addictions find resources so they can turn from opioids. 

“We can bridge that gap,” White said.

Councilwoman Christie Wood agreed.

“It does take a much larger community to work on this, rather than just the police department,” she said.

Councilman Dan Gookin said it sounded like a great program, but he questioned what would happen when the money runs out.

White said they should have enough for four years. Then, police will return to the council to determine the best way to keep it active.

Councilman Dan English said it was important to fund the task force.

“This touches everybody,” he said.