Oregon Launches First-of-its-Kind Statewide Crime-Fighting Unit to Target Complex Trafficking and Drug Networks

The Oregon Department of Justice (ODOJ) launched a pilot project, SPIRE (which stands for Special Projects: Investigate, Respond, Enforce) yesterday, which gives Oregon a nimble investigative structure that can take on crime, from high-level criminal networks, through mid-level operations, to community-level criminal activity that feeds into larger problems.

Oregon DOJ Launches SPIRE Pilot to Tackle Statewide Organised Crime

The Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield and Washington County DA Kevin Barton announced SPIRE- the first-of-its-kind statewide pilot program designed to take on complex criminal activity that crosses jurisdictions and benefits from a coordinated, multi-agency response yesterday.

After meeting with sheriffs, district attorneys, and police chiefs during his first 100 days in office, AG Rayfield realized that some of Oregon’s most serious cases- trafficking networks, drug pipelines, and criminal operations that jump between cities- require specialized investigative work that smaller agencies can’t shoulder alone.

Oregonians also complain about illicit massage parlors, drug trafficking, and crime rings skimming SNAP benefits and stealing catalytic converters.

Local law enforcement leaders have also repeatedly underscored that they need the DOJ as a true partner for cases that require long-term surveillance, digital forensics, wire intercepts, complex data analysis, and cross-jurisdictional coordination.

AG Rayfield said, “ (With) the SPIRE program, the DOJ is stepping up to make sure we’ve left no stone unturned to tackle these problems and keep our communities safe.”

Rayfield and Barton outlined the SPIRE pilot to lawmakers during Legislative Days on Monday before the Senate. They will do the same before the House today.

SPIRE is designed to support local law enforcement officers and deputies who are already busy responding to daily calls and immediate threats.

When a case is too big, too complex, or too time-consuming for any one agency to tackle alone, SPIRE provides additional critical resources and can scale up or down based on the case’s size and complexity.

The Washington County DA’s Office, Washington County Sheriff’s Office, and all police departments in Washington County are already participating in the SPIRE pilot program.