County overdose deaths drop for third year in a row
Hundreds of purple flags dotted the lawn at the San Diego County Administration Center on Aug. 21, a flag for each of the 945 lives lost in the county to accidental drug overdoses in 2024.
The stark scene is an annual reminder of the deadly toll some pay for ingesting fentanyl, methamphetamine, alcohol and other drugs.
This year, however, there were signs that the tide is shifting. For the third year in a row, the number of people who died because of unintentional overdoses of drugs and alcohol dropped, a trend being mirrored on the national level.
Overdose deaths last year declined by 21% from the previous year, when 1,203 died locally, according to a report card issued by the San Diego County Substance Use and Overdose Prevention Task Force. The county has seen a decline in overdose deaths of nearly 28% since the peak of 1,309 in 2021.
Officials credit a multifaceted approach, from increased law enforcement and prosecutions to expanded public education and treatment to widespread distribution of opioid-reversing naloxone, which is sold under the brand name Narcan. They said every death is preventable.
District Attorney Summer Stephan said the declines show the county is on the right track. The overdose prevention task force she jointly chairs brings together medical, public health and behavioral health professionals with prevention advocates, law enforcement and others to focus on solutions, she said.
Stephan noted there were no drug overdose deaths in 2024 involving children 17 and younger. In 2021, 14 children died, according to the report.
That number prompted officials to launch public education campaigns that highlighted the risk of obtaining drugs like Xanax or Percocet from sources other than pharmacies. Emphasizing the message “One pill can kill,” county officials told parents and students about how drug dealers sold counterfeit pills that look like real ones but often contain deadly doses of fentanyl.
Despite the gains, the county task force also reported that homeless people accounted for about 30% of the overdose deaths in 2024, while Black residents experienced the highest mortality rate — 68.6 per 100,000 residents — compared with other racial and ethnic groups. The rate was 34.5 for White people and 20.5 for Hispanic/Latino residents.
Stephan said the numbers show “how much pain is going on in our homeless population and what a death sentence it is to be on the street.” Those living on the street can’t access treatment services and need to be offered shelter options, she said.
Stephan said efforts are underway to better provide drug education and resources to Black communities. Some faith leaders have told her that cultural barriers may be keeping some community members from seeking mental health treatment.
“We know that lots of times people are self-medicating, using painkillers and other things, which of course lead to accidental fentanyl use because they are trying to treat their own pain,” she said.
Stephan said she would like to see better access to mental health treatment and prevention education and said the task force is planning “train the trainer” sessions to get the word out to Black pastors and others.
“I think we need to have a very focused message and communication from trusted leaders who can communicate that message in a very specific way to our African American communities,” she said. — Karen Kucher / The San Diego Union-Tribune
SDPD agrees to improve complaint process involving officers
The San Diego Police Department agreed to several recommendations made by the Commission on Police Practices aimed at making the complaint process involving officer performance more transparent, accessible and thorough, officials announced last week.
The commission recommended changes focused on modernizing SDPD’s online complaint portal. The department said it accepted 11 of the 14 total changes to reduce “access barriers” and make it easier for the public to file and track complaints.
“The complaint portal now supports multiple language translations and no longer limits the length of complaint narratives,” the commission said in a statement. “Complainants also receive confirmation emails with links to upload additional media and track their case status, while mobile usability issues and evidence-upload barriers have been resolved.”
“We will continue advocating for stronger reforms and monitoring implementation to build lasting community trust,” the commission added. — City News Service
Police blotter
Additional details were unavailable from San Diego police.
July 24
• Felony vandalism: 8200 block Camino del Oro, 6:25 p.m.
July 27
• Petty theft: 7400 block Olivetas Avenue, 4:05 p.m.
• Vehicle break-in/theft: 1800 block Caminito Cardelina, 6 p.m.
Aug. 15
• Vehicle break-in/theft: 8000 block La Jolla Shores Drive, 6 p.m.
Aug. 16
• Sex crime: 8800 block Villa La Jolla Drive, 11:45 a.m.
• Vehicle break-in/theft: 600 block Westbourne Street, 3 p.m.
Aug. 19
• Residential burglary: 1200 block Coast Boulevard, 8:30 p.m.
Aug. 20
• Driving under the influence (alcohol): Amalfi Street at Torrey Pines Road, 1:30 a.m.
Aug. 21
• Felony vandalism: 7300 block Girard Avenue, 6 p.m.
• Battery: 7300 block Vista del Mar Avenue, 10 p.m.
Aug. 22
• Battery: 8600 block Villa La Jolla Drive, 9 a.m.
• Shoplifting: 8800 block Villa La Jolla Drive, 4:02 p.m.
Aug. 23
• Felony battery with serious bodily injury: 3300 block La Jolla Village Drive, 8 a.m.
• Sex crime: 7400 block Girard Avenue, 11:30 a.m.
• Battery: 5300 block Linda Way, 6:40 p.m. — Ashley Mackin-Solomon / La Jolla Light ♦