1. 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.

2. Introduction Detective John Willard Special Investigative Unit
Spokane Police Dept
1100 W. Mallon
Spokane, WA
Washington DEC Alliance 2

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

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

8. 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
Specific to Methamphetamine

9. 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

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

11. 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

12. 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!!!

13. 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.