Sheriff Kelly Martinez has been honored by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration for her department’s efforts to combat fentanyl, officials said Thursday.
DEA Administrator Terrance Cole presented Martinez on Monday with the inaugural Administrator’s Special Recognition Award during the agency’s Fentanyl Free America Summit in Florida, according to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office.
“This award is a reflection of the hard work and dedication being shown by the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office in keeping fentanyl off our streets and stopping the tragic effects of this dangerous opioid,” Martinez said.
Martinez called her participation in the summit a “powerful and moving experience,” noting the impact of meeting with families who have lost loved ones to the synthetic opioid.
The DEA praised Martinez for prioritizing community engagement, outreach and enforcement to build bridges with residents and inform the public about the dangers of fentanyl.
“Sheriff Martinez was at the forefront of recognizing the scope and destruction that the opioid, and subsequent fentanyl, epidemics would bring her community and the United States as a whole,” the DEA said in a statement ahead of the ceremony.
Martinez joined the sheriff’s office in 1985 and spent 22 years as a deputy sheriff, working in gang, narcotics and criminal intelligence investigations. When she took office as sheriff in 2022, she launched a multi- pronged approach to the crisis.
Her strategy combines enforcement to dismantle trafficking networks, education and prevention programs and harm-reduction measures, including widespread distribution of naloxone, a medication used to reverse opioid overdoses, according to the sheriff’s office.
The DEA said the strategy has saved lives and contributed to a significant decline in fentanyl-related deaths both locally and nationally.
James Nunnallee, the DEA’s special agent in charge in San Diego, called Martinez an exceptional partner in their shared mission to protect the public.
“She is committed not only to public safety but to building stronger, safer communities where families can thrive,” Nunnallee said.
In recent years, the sheriff’s office has worked with local and state lawmakers to secure funding for its Fentanyl Abatement and Suppression Team, which focuses on seizing illicit fentanyl and arresting regional traffickers.
Martinez credited the San Diego County Board of Supervisors, specifically Supervisors Joel Anderson and Monica Montgomery Steppe, as well as the state of California and state Sen. Brian Jones for providing the essential funding to strengthen investigations.
“Regional partnerships matter, and we remain committed to working together to keep our communities safe,” Martinez said.
Hence then, the article about sheriff kelly martinez honored by dea for leadership in fight against fentanyl was published today ( ) and is available on Times of San Diego ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Sheriff Kelly Martinez honored by DEA for leadership in fight against fentanyl )
Also on site :