The Opioid Crisis

The opioid crisis in Snohomish County

A message from Sheriff Trenary

We have created this page to help our communities better understand the opioid crisis, the impact it has on our neighborhoods, and how your Sheriff’s Office is working to address it.

The opioid crisis is not new to Snohomish County. Ten years ago when I was serving as the Chief of Stanwood, we were beginning to see the effects heroin and abuse of prescription pills were making on our community.  High school students were overdosing and dying. Fathers with good jobs were losing everything to feed an addiction.  As bad as it was then, I could never have predicted was how much worse it was going to get.

Although Snohomish County comprises only 10% of the state's population, we now account for more than 18% of the heroin-related deaths statewide.  From 2011 to 2013, approximately 1 out of every 5 heroin deaths in the state occurred in Snohomish County and in 2013 alone, heroin and prescription opioid overdoses represented two-thirds of the 130 accidental overdose deaths in the county.

We cannot arrest our way of the opioid epidemic.  In the end, it will take leadership, collaborative partnership building, communication, accountability and trust to overcome Snohomish County’s opioid epidemic and the terrible impact it has on our communities.

-Sheriff Ty Trenary

Heroin’s Impact on Neighborhoods 

Nuisance properties: More than 200 nuisance properties (squatters, homeless encampments, etc.) have been identified in Snohomish County – and almost all are home to heroin use. At any one time, we usually have between 60-80 open nuisance property investigations. Nuisance properties are addressed through a partnership with the Snohomish Regional Drug & Gang Task Force, Human Services, Code Enforcement, the Fire Marshal, Public Works, as well as Neighborhood Watch and community groups.   

The Office of Neighborhoods: Created in 2015 and between September 30, 2015 and October 31, 2016 the team secured housing for 57 individuals who had been living in homeless encampments or squatting on properties illegally. They enrolled 86 people in detox programs. Of those, 72 who started a detox program successfully completed the program and moved to inpatient drug treatment. The relapse rate for most Snohomish County referrals to detox is around 90% - for the Office of Neighborhoods, it’s 40%. 

Heroin’s Impact on Crime 

A heroin addict is rarely able to hold a steady job, so theft becomes one of the easiest options to fund their addiction. Burglary rates in Snohomish County increased an average of 80% between May 2013 and May 2015. 

Snohomish County Auto Theft Task Force: On average, 7 cars are stolen each day in Snohomish County. More often than not, auto theft is either directly or indirectly related to drug use or trafficking.  Through a partnership with the Marysville Police Department, Washington State Patrol, and the Snohomish County Prosecutor's Office, SNOCAT works to reduce auto theft in the county by apprehending notorious car theives, breaking up "chop shop" operations, and through public education

Property Crimes: In addition to the North County Property Crimes Unit, property crimes detectives are housed at each precinct and partner city.  They focus on crimes such as burglary, major theft, fraud and trafficking in stolen property. Often, these crimes occur to feed drug addiction or drug trafficking.

Heroin’s Impact on the Jail 

The Snohomish County jail’s medical housing unit was designed to hold 24 inmates with moderate to severe medical issues.  Since 2013, this unit is often at 200% capacity (52 inmates on average) with more inmates then beds and over 90% are on heroin or opioid withdrawal care. To alleviate the strain on medical facility and staff, we implemented booking restrictions in 2014. In the months that followed, the jail turned away an average of 100 bookings/month.   

Opioid Overdose and Addiction Statistics 

SNOHOMISH COUNTY 

  • Snohomish County experiences around 18% of all heroin-related deaths in Washington although the county comprises only 10% of the state’s population5 
  • From 2011 to 2013, approximately 1 out of every 5 heroin deaths in Washington state occurred in Snohomish County5 
  • In 2013 alone, heroin and prescription opioid overdoses represented 2/3 of the 130 accidental overdose deaths in the county5 

NATIONALLY 

  • Opioids (including prescription opioids and heroin) killed more than 33,000 people in 2015, more than any year on record1 
  • 91 Americans die every day from an opioid overdose1 
  • Heroin addiction has increased among 18-25 year olds1 

Heroin and Big Pharma 

  • Approximately 3 out of 4 people report abusing prescription opioids prior to using heroin1 
  • The number of opioid deaths coincides with the rise of heroin overdoses in the US3 
  • More than half of long-term OxyContin users are on doses that public health officials consider dangerously high4 

The Opioid Crisis:  What can I do?

The Opioid Crisis:  What else can be done 

  • Create and enhance community partnerships – there is no one service or agency that can tackle the problem alone 
  • Reduce the availability of prescription opioids 
  • Ensure and enhance access to local prevention services 
  • Ensure and enhance access to local addiction treatment services 
  • Expand the availability of naloxone. More than 100 lives have been saved by law enforcement in Snohomish County since the deployment of naloxone in 20152

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention    2. Snohomish County Opioid Project    3. National Institute on Drug Abuse    4. Los Angeles Times    5. Snohomish Health District