Spokane County Law Enforcement Response to Drug Endangered Children This project was supported by Award Number 2008-DD-BX-0574 awarded to the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office by the Bureau of Justice Assistance within the Office of Justice Programs at the U.S. Department of Justice. Points of view or opinions are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.

Introduction Detective John Willard Special Investigative Unit Spokane Police Dept 1100 W. Mallon Spokane, WA 99260 509-363-8264 jwillard@Spokanepolice.org Washington DEC Alliance www.wadecalliance.org 2

Spokane County DEC Partners Spokane County Sheriff’s Office Spokane Police Department Liberty Lake Police Department Airway Heights Police Department Child Protective Services Partners with Families and Children: Spokane Salvation Army: Sally’s House Lutheran Community Services Washington State Office of the Attorney General Spokane County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office Spokane Public Schools / NEWESD 101 Washington State Department of Corrections (DOC) Greater Spokane Substance Abuse Council (GSSAC) 3

Why Was a DEC Program Needed Lack of coordination and collaboration Information was not shared with other agencies before planned arrests/WSIN CPS may or may not be notified Lack of consistency with CPS response Crime scenes not investigated for child abuse/neglect Prosecutors not able to pursue additional charges of child endangerment

Law Enforcement Response Collaboration with CPS - before and after child is placed by LE Initiate process about half the time (knock and talk, controlled purchases, search warrants, field interviews, welfare checks, patrol) Place children into protective custody Emergency Placement/LE responsibility Prosecution: effects on investigation and successful prosecution; additional enhancements 5

Law Enforcement needs to document the children’s accessibility of drugs for criminal/civil legal proceedings Law Enforcement documents the accessibility of the narcotics to the children for criminal/ civil legal proceedings Nat. DEC 6

Home Show What to look for in a drug environment Video Home Show What to look for in a drug environment

Endangerment w/a Controlled Substance Person guilty if knowingly or intentionally permits dependant child/adult be exposed to, ingest, inhale, or have contact w/meth, ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, or anhydrous ammonia, etc, used in the manufacture of meth. RCW 9A.42.100 Specific to Methamphetamine

Criminal Mistreatment First Degree – recklessly causes great bodily harm by w/holding basic necessities Second Degree – recklessly creates an imminent/substantial risk of death/great bodily harm. Substantial harm by w/hold’g Third Degree – Criminal negligence Fourth Degree – Criminal negligence

Arresting Officer Responsibility When a LE officer arrests a person for criminal mistreatment of a child, the officer must notify Child Protective Services.

L.E. Responsibilities Medic respond if children need medical assist. Assess environment, children, document evidence that children live at residence Photograph/measure location of C/S Photograph accessibility to drugs/paraphernalia/weapons/pornography Photograph child at scene. Notify CPS/PCS/PCS w/Intent/Manufacture

L.E. Responsibilities Cont! Remove/place child w/CPS: Examples! Release to family members????????? Schools contacted by LE/CPS Restrict cell phone usage by children??????? Interview of children Video tape of residence Make arrests when appropriate!!!

Information provided by: Spokane Police Department Spokane County Sheriff’s Office Child Protective Services Partners with Families and Children: Spokane Lutheran Community Services Northwest Washington Department of Corrections Greater Spokane Substance Abuse Center Spokane Public Schools North East Washington Educational Service District 101 Washington DEC Alliance National Alliance for Drug Endangered Children This project was supported by Award Number 2008-DD-BX-0574 awarded to the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office by the Bureau of Justice Assistance within the Office of Justice Programs at the U.S. Department of Justice. Points of view or opinions are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.