Fort Bragg Police Chief Neil Cervenka unveiled the Fort Bragg Community Task Force on Fentanyl at a city council meeting on Monday, January 22nd. This initiative marks the city’s latest strategic step in combating the fentanyl crisis under the ambit of Project Right Now (PRN).
Launched in 2023 by the Fort Bragg Police Department, PRN focuses on rehabilitating youth grappling with substance use disorders. The department secured a $345,363 grant from the California Department of Health Care Service’s Youth Opioid Response program, making them the sole law enforcement agency in the state to receive a share of the $12 million legislated grant.
Chief Cervenka emphasized that the newly formed task force will serve as a crucial platform for gathering community input on how to effectively address the fentanyl crisis. Comprising 12-15 members from diverse backgrounds, including students, educators, parents, business owners, medical professionals, community leaders, and elected officials, Cervenka hopes the task force will provide varied perspectives that may have been overlooked by the police department.
“We want to get the perspectives of many different segments of this community to see what we’re missing in the police department,” Chief Cervenka stated.
According to the California Department of Public Health, Mendocino County is experiencing a concerning trend of higher fentanyl-related overdose deaths compared to the rest of the state. In 2022, the rate in Mendocino was 47.65 per 100,000 residents, while California’s rate was 16.59. The gap was even more significant in 2021, with Mendocino at 49.07 and California at 15.27. Over the last five years, both county and state rates have more than quadrupled.
The task force plans to convene quarterly and present their findings at a subsequent community forum the following month. Applications to join the task force are open until February 9th and can be obtained by emailing Captain Thomas O’Neal at toneal@fortbragg.com.
Chief Cervenka also seized the opportunity to showcase some of the early successes of Project Right Now, including getting 27 individuals into rehab, assisting 23 current youth clients, and conducting extensive Narcan training with widespread distribution throughout the community. The department has also intensified enforcement efforts, with an increased number of search warrants, narcotic investigations, and follow-ups on tips related to narcotic sales.
Addressing the overarching goal, Chief Cervenka stated, “Our hope is that by cutting the supply and the desire for fentanyl, we’ll save more lives.”
For more details, refer to the complete press release below:
In light of the ongoing opioid and fentanyl crisis affecting the nation and Mendocino County, the Fort Bragg Police Department’s Project Right Now will be forming a Community Task Force on Fentanyl. The initial mission of the Fort Bragg Community Task Force on Fentanyl is to bring together community representatives and those impacted by fentanyl to collaborate on potential solutions tailored to our local community. This Task Force will be led by the Fort Bragg Police Department’s Project Right Now team with the initial goals of:
1. Compiling potential solutions and approaches to the fentanyl crisis from different
perspectives, which can be implemented by the police department, local organizations and the community.
2. Explore the potential effectiveness of combating the fentanyl crisis through quarterly task force meetings.
3. Reducing the stigma associated with opioid substance abuse disorder through education and increasing community awareness.
A tentative outline for the first four months of the Task Force on Fentanyl includes:
February: Initial Task Force meeting to begin compiling information.
March: Project Right Now reports the results of the Task Force meeting back to the community and potential partner organizations.
May: Second Task Force meeting where Project Right Now reports on progress from the previous meeting.
Individuals interested in participating in the Task Force will need to submit an application no later than February 9, 2023. Applications may be obtained by emailing Captain Thomas O’Neal at toneal@fortbragg.com. All submitted applications will go through a selection process and those selected will be notified by February 13, 2024. Applicants must agree to attend the February and May meetings. The February meeting will be a luncheon to be held sometime between February 19, 2024 and March 1, 2024.
Ideal applicants for this task force include:
-School staff at the Middle School or High School level
-Business owners and community leaders
-Individuals in the medical field (i.e. EMT’s, nurses, physicians etc.)
-High School students impacted by the fentanyl crisis
-Parents of children impacted by the fentanyl crisis
-Elected officials with the ability to make policy decisions related to the fentanyl crisis
The Task Force will be limited to fifteen individuals.
Questions regarding the Task Force may be sent to Capt. O’Neal of the Fort Bragg Police Department at (707) 961-2800 Ext 203.
This information is being released by Chief Neil Cervenka. All media inquiries should contact him at ncervenka@fortbragg.com.
