Multnomah County’s Department of Community Justice this month joined the U.S. Marshals Service, the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office, Gresham Police, the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office, and more than 30 law enforcement members for Operation Safer Multnomah.
The five-day operation, which began Tuesday, June 7, resulted in the seizure of 21 firearms, three pounds of methamphetamine, 19 grams of heroin and 449 fentanyl pills.
Led by the U.S. Marshals Service Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force, the operation was a major undertaking to address high-level outstanding warrants (including federal warrants) for serious, violent crimes — mostly associated with gun-related crimes and illegal gun possession.
“These are guns possessed by felons and people who are dealing commercial quantities of drugs,” said Multnomah County Sheriff’s Sgt. Matt Ferguson, who leads the Sheriff’s Office’s Special Investigations Unit.
“We’re seeing a huge influx of drugs in our community right now.”
The operation is part of ongoing work to address the proliferation of illegal guns and drugs in the Portland metro area, an issue that affects communities across the country. The event fell during June, when communities across the country recognize National Gun Violence Awareness Day (June 3) and when some communities recognize the immeasurable toll gun violence takes for the entire month.
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