Do drugs fuel most of the problems in Humboldt? Is there anything left to be done?

In my most recent submission for the Lost Coast Outpost, I talked in depth about the violent crime problem here in Humboldt County. I attempted to offer some solutions to what I saw was a way to address the problem. My list was by no means meant to be comprehensive.

The post generated over 200 comments. (No way of knowing if that was 50 comments each from the same four people, an urban legend about the Lost Coast Outpost). Many of the commenters were serious, and were attempting to start a dialog about what they thought was the primary problem. I glanced through most of the comments, and it was overwhelming what people thought was the reason why crime in general had exploded here in Humboldt County. Their answer was: Drugs. In fact, it wasn’t even close.

(Oh, by the way — since I wrote that piece the continued violent crime rage has continued. There was a murder, 2 stabbings in Eureka, a stabbing in Arcata on the plaza, the Denny’s in McKinleyville was robbed at gunpoint and finally Fresh Freeze in Eureka was robbed at gunpoint in an eerily similar fashion, and those are just the ones that have made the news, and we’re not done with January.)

By offering some solutions, I in no way meant to foreclose other answers. Of course, one must ask: Is it a part of the problem? And if so, what is the solution? I am very much in agreement that drugs are the primary driver of the problem in Humboldt County, and unfortunately, not to beat a dead horse, changes in our criminal justice system will make it very hard to develop solutions. (In fact, the above-linked article in the left-leaning San Francisco Chronicle described realignment as a “radical prison reform” where “[d]rug dealers … will become wards of the counties in which they are convicted.”

Before I launch into the main discussion, I want to talk about community involvement, because that was one of the solutions that I offered, and it is clear our community is eager to get involved. Last year, in the aftermath of the Father Freed murder, a group called Operation Safe Streets-Eureka launched. From an organization standpoint, it has been mainly the work of Gene Bass (whose aunt is on the Board of Supervisors). The group has a definite online social media presence, and is very involved. They are coordinating with other groups, like Eureka Main Street. They are having logical and informed conversations with law enforcement. (Their view is that law enforcement is key, but it will take the community to restore Humboldt and Eureka to what it once apparently was.)

OSS-E just had another meeting with over 200 people in attendance (including yours truly). Well informed and thorough presentations were given by many, but I listened closely to what Eureka Police Department Chief Andrew Mills had to say. He acknowledged that property crimes had literally skyrocketed, with increases of up to 70 percent in one year. Violent crime, he maintains is down, but there are serious skeptics that do not believe that. Some do not believe a burglary of your residence is a violent crime, but by statute it absolutely is (especially if you are present in your home.) It is always a strike under the Three Strikes Law, regardless if you were present. The debate over the merits of those crime statistics will be left for another piece. However, if there is no debate over property crimes (with the only question is the number really higher than it is, because many do not get reported) then is there a connection between property crimes and drugs? The chief definitely believes there is.

The chief talked about two priorities that he wants to use to fight crime. One is a shopping cart ordinance, and the other is a bicycle ordinance. To be fair, in some circles Chief Mills has come under withering attack for these being the solutions. I will leave the shopping cart ordinance out of this discussion, but the bike ordinance has started a mini-discussion and a term that is as hot in Humboldt on social media as “deflated balls” is in the rest of the country. With credit to the Chief, he used the term, GMOB. (Being in the military, I have to admit I fancy acronyms, we love them). GMOB stands for “Grown Men on Bikes.” The theory being that these folks are up to no good. (Now as you can guess, the constitution would most likely invalidate a broad stroke law that made it illegal for all grown men to ride bikes!)

Instead the ordinance will prohibit bikes being ridden on the sidewalk. It is already illegal to ride against traffic on the street, per the vehicle code. Now what this law will really do is give police officers probable cause to stop these folks and conduct potential criminal investigations. The Fourth Amendment can be terribly complex, and every case would be handled differently in the courts. For example, this past week the U.S. Supreme Court debated whether it is impermissible to slightly extend an ordinary traffic stop (by a matter of minutes) to use drug-sniffing dogs when that was not the reason for the original stop.

The one thing that is not being said is that by targeting GMOBs, what in effect is being done is that people are being profiled. There are many in this community who will have a huge problem with “profiling.” Without weighing into that debate, it will greatly assist those criminals who are lucky enough to be able to use a car to commit crimes. (After all, gas is cheaper these days!)

Now onto the drug problem here in Humboldt County. Most people automatically assume a discussion about drugs in Humboldt must begin and end with marijuana. Anyone will tell you that the real problems are hard drugs, in particular methamphetamine and heroin. Occasionally Cocaine is also involved. The truth is that there is a connection among certain marijuana growers, where marijuana (which fetches a depressed wholesale price in Humboldt County) is exchanged for “valuable and not depressed-price methamphetamine” which is manufactured elsewhere but ultimately ends up on our streets here in Humboldt.

The roll call on the drug problem can be seen by the size of some of the seizures. Last year there was a four-pound heroin bust in Myrtletown. It was worth $200k. The suspect was not from Humboldt County. In 2011, when she was a deputy, our new district attorney, Maggie Fleming, successfully prosecuted what is called a false compartment case, where 1½ pounds of heroin was hidden. When I was a prosecutor I handled two- and three-pound heroin cases and case over five pounds of methamphetamine. All of those cases involved people who are not from here.

Now, there is a huge difference in how those earlier cases were handled and the newer four-pound bust of heroin. The people arrested in the newer bust cannot receive a prison sentence – just county jail. (Unless the feds were to pick it up.) Realignment has dramatically affected the prison population. It has lowered it substantially. However, I see a sizeable difference between a petty user of illegal drugs and the folks that are bringing in four pounds of heroin and five pounds of methamphetamine into our community. The test I always give people: Just imagine that five-pound bag of sugar in your grocery store being full of methamphetamine or heroin. That is a lot.

At the meeting, Chief Andrew Mills stated that we are awash in devastating amounts of drugs in this community. He also opined that the small-time user is committing crime to support his habit, because people addicted to drugs generally are not employed. Realignment has been with us almost four years. I believe that lenient treatment of traffickers and dealers needs to be re-looked at. I also believe that with the money we are saving on incarceration we need to provide better drug treatment options. Drug abuse (or dependence) is a recognized disorder, yet we criminalize it.

Finally, I leave with this sobering thought. When Wal-Mart comes into a community, they frequently give grants to local groups that need assistance. For example, in Monroe, Wash., (a community of approximately 17,000) they donated $7,500 for the “Gold Bar Elementary PTA, Maltby Food Bank, Monroe Public Schools Foundation, Monroe-Sky Valley YMCA, Sky Valley Food Bank and the Monroe Arts Council”. Wal-Mart donated to our community as well. Among others, they gave a $25,000 grant to Humboldt Alcohol and Drug Care Services. Our Wal-Mart — unlike the store in Monroe — decided to not state specifically what community groups were getting donations in Eureka.

Were they ashamed to admit it?

It is sad that we have this need, but boy do we ever. It is also sad that we have to rely upon the generosity of the world’s largest corporation to address our drug addiction problem, here locally. Operation Safe Streets-Eureka cannot solve this problem alone. It will take a national conversation. Let’s start having it.