More than 50 law enforcement officers and drug treatment professional fanned out across methamphetamine-related crime hot spots in Escondido and San Marcos on Thursday, conducting probation and parole compliance checks, warrant searches and patrols.
During the 16th “Tip the Scale” operation, officers made 18 arrests, 10 of them for felony violations, according to Jeff Stinchcomb, spokesman for the Methamphetamine Strike Force. Authorities also discussed with 16 people drug treatment options and how addiction affects their lives, and they placed four probationers in immediate treatment programs.
Stinchcomb said the operation came amid record high methamphetamine- related deaths in San Diego County and the rising use of the drug among those being arrested. Its goal was to “reduce drug-fueled crime while steering drug offenders toward treatment resources,” he said.
The intervention effort was focused on young adults who sometimes turn to crime to support their addictions, according to Stinchcomb.
“This is an important age group for us,” Escondido Police Chief Craig Carter said. “We want to touch base with young people before they get in too deep, in terms of drugs and crime. If we do it right, we might save them a lifetime of trouble.”
Stinchcomb said that the Methamphetamine Strike Force’s hotline, which can be reached at (877) 662-6384 or online at no2meth.org, typically sees a 50 percent jump in calls from those reporting crime or seeking treatment following a Tip the Scale operation. Drug addiction and dependence are significant factors in recidivism.
“Our goal is to save lives and keep San Diego County safe,” Sheriff Bill Gore said. “With treatment options available during Operation Tip the Scale, there can be a path to recovery which will hopefully break the cycle of addiction.”
Stinchcomb said that in the past five years, Tip the Scale operations have led to 537 arrests and 272 treatment conversations. Multiple agencies participated in the most recent operation including the sheriff’s department, Escondido Police Department, the county’s Probation Department, North County Transit District Police and the Institute for Public Strategies.
— City News Service
